Deco Believes Barcelona Is Making a Mistake by Not Signing €15 Million-Rated Teenager

Barcelona’s pursuit of Joao Cancelo from Manchester City is nearing completion, leaving little room for their interest in Ivan Fresneda as a right-back option.

The Blaugrana are close to sealing a loan-to-buy deal with the Portuguese international, set to announce the signing imminently.

Surprisingly, they’ve communicated to Fresneda that they won’t be pursuing his signing, even though he had already agreed to personal terms with the club.

Sporting director Deco is vocal in his belief that Barcelona is making a mistake by passing on Fresneda, valued at 815 million. He sees Fresneda as a fitting, long-term solution for their right-back issues.

Deco’s strong desire to bring Fresneda to Barcelona clashed with manager Xavi Hernandez’s preference for a more experienced right-back.

Despite Deco’s recommendation and positive scouting reports on Fresneda, Xavi insisted on Cancelo after an unsuccessful attempt to sign Juan Foyth from Villarreal.

Xavi’s insistence led to negotiations with Cancelo’s agent, Jorge Mendes, with a strict timeline set by Barcelona.

In a surprising turn of events, Cancelo is now close to joining Barcelona after accepting a significant pay cut, while Fresneda may find himself at Chelsea, likely on loan.

Deco remains convinced that this decision is shortsighted, as he anticipates Fresneda’s value will soar in the future, potentially making it challenging for Barcelona to secure his services down the road.