Barcelona face Real Madrid competition in pursuit of 18-year-old defensive target

Having just seen Real Madrid swoop Arda Guler away from them, Barcelona could be facing the threat of losing yet another transfer target to their arch-rivals if a report from Adrian Sanchez is to be believed.

Indeed, as per the update, Real Madrid have contacted the entourage of Real Valladolid right-back and Barcelona target Ivan Fresneda recently to explore the possibility of a transfer.

Fresneda enjoyed a solid debut campaign in La Liga in 2022/23 even though Valladolid could not survive the wrath of relegation. The 18-year-old made a good impression in his first season in the Spanish top flight, so much so that Barcelona have taken a serious interest in him.

The Blaugrana are in need of a specialist right-back this summer, having been left with just Sergi Roberto and the inexperienced Julian Araujo as their options.

Fresneda has been identified as a cost-effective option with potential and promise to grow. Following Valladolid’s relegation, the youngster’s release clause went down from €40 million to €20 million.

But, Barcelona cannot afford to pay more than €10 million and recent reports suggest that Valladolid are willing to accept a fee of around €10 million plus add-ons for their prized asset.

Barça director Deco met with Fresneda’s agents earlier this week to lay the groundwork for a deal. However, with Real Madrid now meddling in the business, the Catalans must act swiftly to try and close an agreement for the youngster.

It has been suggested that Fresneda could be close to agreeing a five-year contract with the Blaugrana and that the defender is prepared to wait for the La Liga champions to make an offer to Valladolid once their financial situation is sorted.

But, with Real Madrid sniffing around, Barcelona would be best served by acting swiftly to close the deal.