F.C. Barcelona has promptly responded to Real Madrid’s interest in 16-year-old Moroccan talent Abdellah Ouazane by revisiting a potential deal for the promising Portuguese winger, Cardoso Varela. Varela, who has been making strides at Dinamo Zagreb, previously came through the ranks of FC Porto’s youth academy and was named the best player of the Africa U-17 Cup.
Reports indicate that Barcelona is willing to offer €10 million total for Varela, including €5 million upfront and another €5 million in performance-related variables. However, there are claims from Croatian media suggesting that, despite Barcelona’s intentions, Varela has been persuaded by Zvonimir Boban to remain in Zagreb for at least one more season.
Barcelona has been tracking Cardoso Varela since 2024 when reports surfaced about him and his agent dining with Deco, the club’s sporting director, as it was a pivotal time for the young talent to sign a professional contract. Back then, it was seemingly certain that Barcelona was set to become Varela’s destination.
Complicating matters, Varela’s career development has been marred by a controversial situation at FC Porto, where the club filed a complaint with FIFA regarding Varela’s mysterious departure to Croatia. Former Porto president André Villas-Boas has been vocal about Varela being exploited by unscrupulous agents who sought to profit from his family’s financial struggles. He faced significant challenges while trying to secure his move, as Villas-Boas emphasized that the young player was almost tricked into signing a detrimental contract that could jeopardize his sports career.
Villas-Boas underlined the commitment of FC Porto to deeply support Varela’s holistic development, both academically and socially, warning against the dark interests that often burden young athletes.
As Barcelona considers its next steps in signing Varela, there remains a glimmer of hope that this promising young player will ultimately find a suitable environment to flourish, whether at Barcelona or elsewhere. The ongoing attention to his case may lead to increased protections for young players in similar predicaments, fostering a more supportive and fair landscape in youth sports.