Arsenal are prepared to raid Barcelona’s youth set-up once again. Sven Mislintat, Head of Recruitment, at Arsenal Football Club has his eyes set on this upcoming attacking left back who has most recently plied his trade in the u16 Cadeta level through La Masia in Barcelona. No doubt that Head of Football Relations, Raul Sanllehi, who recently came to Arsenal after years at Barcelona, will have lent a hand in this potential transfer.
Lopez has turned down an offer to stay at Nou Camp according to Chris Wheatley at Goal.com.
☎️ Joel López, lateral esquerra del Cadet A del Barça, cerca de cerrar acuerdo con el Arsenal. Los gunners tendrán que pagar derechos de formación #FCBMasia #mercato pic.twitter.com/gDbkLriCxj
— Gerard Romero (@gerardromero) May 22, 2018
Arsenal clearly have a history of luring talent from Barcelona at a young age, to speed up progression to becoming a full professional, before being swooned back to Spain at a older age (see; Fabregas, Cesc). The obvious reason for leaving the Barcelona set-up is a viable chance at first team football, with the likes of academy products Reiss Nelson, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Joe Willock, and Eddie Nketiah playing parts in the first team this year providing clear evidence of a youth influx into the senior squad.