Barcelona are always alert to up-and-coming young prospects in the Brazilian football scene, even more so now with Deco at the helm of transfer affairs as the club’s sporting director.
While the signing of Vitor Roque might not have gone according to plans, the Catalans remain attentive to any talents making a name in the South American nation.
Vitor Reis catches the eye, but immense competition for him
As has already been reported, one player who has caught Barcelona’s attention is Palmeiras’ 18-year-old centre-back Vitor Reis.
However, according to AS, the Blaugrana find themselves in a five-way transfer battle for the young defender as arch-rivals Real Madrid, as well as three Premier League giants – Arsenal, Chelsea, and Liverpool, are all gunning for his signing.
Reis, 18, is enjoying his breakthrough season at Palmeiras. Likened to Manchester City stalwart Ruben Dias and PSG captain Marquinhos due to his style of play, the youngster has established himself as a regular for the Brazilian outfit.
Reis has a contract with Palmeiras that runs until the end of December 2028 and is shielded by a mammoth €100 million release clause as well, making his signing difficult especially for Barça, given their delicate economic situation.
Do Barcelona need a new centre-back?
As things stand, Barcelona are very well-equipped as far as the central defensive department is concerned.
In Pau Cubarsi and Inigo Martinez, manager Hansi Flick has found a solid centre-back partnership this season and things will only get better once Ronald Araujo and Andreas Christensen return from injury.
In addition, the Blaugrana also have Eric Garcia as an option while youngsters like Sergi Dominguez and Andres Cuenca are also knocking on the doors.
So, investing in another centre-back like Reis, who is likely to command a big fee owing to the competition and his contract situation, might not be the most prudent move for Barcelona, especially when there are other positions needing to be strengthened more urgently.