FC Barcelona's Ilias Akhomach during the warm up before the match
Barcelona chiefs want Leeds United target Ilias Akhomach to receive less game time over the coming months, with rumours of a potential move to Yorkshire.
The Lowdown: Leeds agreement
The Whites have been heavily linked with a move for Akhomach in recent months ahead of the summer transfer window, with Victor Orta reportedly meeting with the player’s representatives.
Speculation from Spain even said last week that Akhomach has ‘reached an agreement’ to move to England after finalising a transfer with Leeds. The report added that Akhomach was in demand with Elland Road not the only offer on the table, with his days at the Nou Camp numbered.
He could well be the next exciting teenager to make the move to Yorkshire, but it looks as if things could soon get messy in his final few months on the books with the Catalan giants.
The Latest: Barcelona update
A Spanish outlet provided an update regarding Akhomach in the last 48 hours, describing him as an ‘important pearl of Barca youth football’.
The winger has decided not to renew with Barcelona but is continuing to play a leading role for the B team under Rafa Marquez, something that is not understood by those above at the Nou Camp. They feel that ‘other players who have opted to continue at the club and have first-team potential should go ahead’ in place of Akhomach.
The Verdict: Getting messy
Leeds won’t mind the fact that Akhomach is still featuring regularly for Barca B, however, it appears as if he could slip down the pecking order relatively soon following this news.
The 18-year-old is primarily a left-footed right-winger who can also play on the left or through the middle. He is valued at €3m (£2.7m) by Transfermarkt and has already made three senior appearances for Barcelona, so it looks as if the Whites could be landing a potential star, with the player’s agent saying that ‘he is a great player with enormous potential’.
Leeds have reaped the rewards with a number of teenage attackers in recent years, with Crysencio Summerville and Wilfried Gnonto currently regulars in the first team set-up, so Akhomach could potentially follow suit.
Barcelona seem to rate Akhomach highly with Marquez handing the youngster a leading role in the B team, so it’ll be interesting to see if Leeds integrate him in the first team setup straightaway or use him in the U21s to begin with.
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