FC Barcelona has bolstered its youth ranks with the acquisition of 18-year-old Ghanaian center-back Hafiz Gariba.
The highly-rated defender joins the Catalan giants on a free transfer, penning a three-year deal, according to reports.
Gariba’s signing underscores Barcelona’s ongoing strategy of securing young talents before their market value skyrockets.
The club has a proven track record of developing defenders through their youth system, and Gariba is the latest addition to this promising pipeline.
Despite attracting interest from several prominent European clubs, Gariba chose to continue his development at Barcelona.
The club had reportedly been pursuing the young Ghanaian for some time, awaiting his final approval before finalizing the transfer.
Gariba’s journey to Barcelona is somewhat unconventional. He honed his skills at Escuela Marcet, a respected football academy in the Barcelona area, before catching the eye of Barcelona scouts.
He is known for his physical prowess and ability to read the game, excelling at clearing up defensive errors.
The young defender is expected to initially join Barcelona’s Juvenil B team, the level below the Under-19s.
Once he adapts to the club’s system and demonstrates his abilities, he will be promoted to the Juvenil A squad.
Barcelona’s strategy of acquiring young talents has proven to be both beneficial for their first team and a financially sound venture.
Recent examples include Mika Faye, who was signed for €1.5m and sold for €10.3m just a season later. Other successful graduates like Ez Abde, Chadi Riad, and Nico Gonzalez have also generated significant profits for the club.
