Valentin Barco will definitely join Manchester City in January – and Pep Guardiola has even sent the Boca Juniors wonderkid a fitness plan ahead of his arrival.
That is according to South American journalist Martin Liberman.
So, what is the latest on Valentin Barco and Manchester City? Let’s take a look…
What’s the story?
Well, it was Germán García Grova of TYC Sports who first revealed that Manchester City had struck an agreement with Boca Juniors over a deal for the 19-year-old.
No exact fee was mentioned, although Barco is said to have a release clause worth just £8m – according to 90min.
Now, Liberman has provided more details.
The respected journalist – who boasts more than 800,000 followers on Twitter – claims that Guardiola has already been in contact with the Argentinian prodigy, and has sent him a diet plan as well as a bodybuilding routine.
Liberman believes Manchester City want Barco to weigh at least 70kg when he arrives at the Etihad Stadium this winter, with a view to taking him up to 74kg after his arrival – at the moment, he is said to weigh 64kg.
Manchester City fans should be excited about Valentin Barco
Clearly, Guardiola is keen to ensure his latest recruit is in the best possible condition ahead of his introduction to Premier League football.
While patience must be afforded to Barco – given the fact he is just 19 – there is reason to be excited about the precocious South American.
The teenager earned a place in the Guardian’s coveted Next Generation list back in 2021.
In Barco’s segment in that list, it was said that coaches even believe he could play as a central midfielder rather than a left-back, as a result of his remarkable technical skills.
Guardiola often tends to use inverted full-backs, who act more as central midfielders, so by the sounds of it, Barco will feel comfortable in this system.
Be sure to keep an eye on this situation, as Manchester City could officially announce the deal soon.
