When it comes to 16-year-olds and Barcelona in the last two weeks, the only name anybody should be talking about is Ansu Fati. His first appearance for FC Barcelona against Real Betis was the second youngest debut for the Blaugrana in La Liga history. Fati followed that up with his first senior goal against Osasuna, coming on at halftime in a game desperate for a difference-maker. The young winger may not feature for the first team much this season with Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez, and Ousmane Dembélé coming back from injury, but that’s okay; his story at the Camp Nou is just beginning.
Due to the success of a 16-year-old from La Masia, Culés may have missed the other Barcelona-related news involving a 16-year-old this week. Before the deadline window shut, the club struck a deal with Pedri González, better known as Pedri. The plan seems to be for him to join Barcelona B next season. The move didn’t get much attention, but Fati and Pedri share more in common than just their age. Pedri also made his first team debut this season, but as a starter for Las Palmas.
After playing for Las Palmas’ Juvenil B squad last season, it was expected that he would play for the Juvenil A side this season. Just like Fati’s situation at Barcelona, injuries to most of Las Palmas’ other attacking midfielders gave manager Pepe Mel little choice but to start the mercurial attacking midfielder.
Fati hasn’t played an official match yet for Barcelona B, just as Pedri skipped both Las Palmas C and Las Palmas Atlético. After seeing him with the first team in the preseason, Mel started the 16-year-old on the left wing in the opening match of the season against Huesca in a 1-0 loss. He started again on the wing in a 1-1 draw against Málaga where he got the assist on the lone Las Palmas goal. It was the most recent match against Racing Santander where Pedri started at his most natural position, attacking midfield.
Barcelona signed the youngster on a two year deal with the possibility of two additional years. While the Catalans only paid five million euros for Pedri, the deal is equipped with a 400 million euro release clause and bonuses that could raise the price. Instead of having him play in the third division with Barcelona B, as he will next year barring a promotion for the team or the player, Barcelona kept him at the Canary Islands club until next summer.
Pedri does seem to have some versatility, already playing at both left wing and attacking midfielder for the first team. He could project as a central midfielder in the future, but it’s surely too early to know how his game and body will develop over the next few years.
