Barcelona in advanced talks to sign 17 years old prodigy Ze Lucas

Barcelona are closing in on 17-year-old Ze Lucas from Sport Recife, with the Brazilian membership rejecting affords of over £11m.

Sport Recife goes via a turbulent season. Regardless of successful the Pernambuco state championship, the membership has had a dreadful begin within the Brasileirao – firing two managers and incomes simply three factors in 11 matches, leaving them on the backside of the desk.

Even so, the Recife aspect has managed to unveil a gem now coveted by European giants: 17-year-old midfielder Ze Lucas.

Seen as a key participant for the rubro-negro squad in Serie A, the Pernambuco membership’s rising star has attracted consideration from abroad golf equipment, who’ve already made affords of round €12.5m (roughly £11m) – a determine exceeding the biggest switch in Sport Recife’s historical past: the €10m (roughly £8.5m) deal that despatched Pedro Lima to Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2024. Nevertheless, the membership rejected these affords.

Regardless of this preliminary refusal, Spanish newspaper Marca reported on Tuesday that the midfielder is in superior talks with Barcelona. In keeping with the report, negotiations “have progressed considerably in current weeks and a optimistic end result is predicted quickly.”

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Who’s Ze Lucas, Sport Recife’s prodigy?

Ze Lucas’s rise started in 2025, when he made his senior debut for Sport Recife. His first skilled match got here in January in the course of the state championship, when then-coach Pepa chosen gamers from the under-20 squad towards Afogados.

His debut got here 9 years after becoming a member of the membership in 2016. Ze Lucas started in Sport Recife’s futsal programme at age 8. On the court docket, he performed from under-9 to under-17 ranges, typically competing above his age group, and achieved success: successful the Taca Brasil at under-13 and under-15 ranges.

Between ages 11 and 15, he cut up his time between futsal and soccer, earlier than focusing solely on soccer with the dream of turning into knowledgeable.

Since being referred to as up by Pepa, Ze Lucas has stood out for his defensive qualities, together with a excessive variety of tackles. For instance, within the Copa do Nordeste match towards Fortaleza, he earned reward even from coach Juan Pablo Vojvoda, who described him as “a participant with persona and good method.”

In Serie A, The Midfielder – Who Additionally Represented Brazil at Below -17 Degree – Was Repeatedly Utilized by Pepa and Later Throughout Antonio Oliveira’s Transient Tenure. Ze Lucas Featured in Video games In opposition to Bragantino, Corinthians, Fortaleza, Fluminense, Cruzeiro, Ceara, Internacional, and Mirassol.

Zé Lucas on the radar of Barcelona and different European golf equipment

His performances have caught the attention of scouts each in Brazil and overseas. Representatives from the Metropolis Soccer Group attended a few of his matches for Sport Recife, as did the technical supervisor of the Brazilian Soccer Confederation (CBF), Juan, which led to a call-up for the under-17 nationwide crew.

The midfielder was a part of the squad that received the South American championship in his age group, the place he captained the crew and scored the equaliser towards Colombia, and was referred to as up for friendlies towards Ecuador.

With curiosity from Barcelona and different European golf equipment, Sport Recife determined to increase the prodigy’s contract till April 2028. In keeping with ge Pernambuco, the membership supplied him a wage improve and raised his launch clause from R$50m to R$100m (from £7.5m to £7.5m) for Brazilian golf equipment. For international golf equipment, the clause stays at €50 million (round £44 million).

This text was initially revealed on Trivela.

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