Barcelona set to sign controversial Portuguese wonderkid Cardoso Varela

Barcelona are closing in on the transfer of talented Portuguese winger Cardoso Varela, according to a report from Sport. Varela is a product of the famed Porto academy and has already accumulated 22 caps for the Portugal U17 national team, scoring three goals. If the signing goes through, Varela will join one of the youth teams of Barcelona, possibly the reserve side Barca Atletic.

Sport reports that Deco, the sporting director of Barcelona, met with Varela's agents on Monday afternoon, along with the player himself. Varela toured the facilities at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper after the conversation. According to the source, Barcelona have been discreetly pursuing the signing for a while, and the close ties between Varela's agent, Andy Bara - who also represents Dani Olmo and Mikayil Faye - and the club's higher-ups have been instrumental in easing the discussions.

The then 15-year-old winger had previously played for Porto's U17 team, as well as the U19s, featuring in the UEFA Youth League, when he remarkably vanished from the Porto youth team.

The club suspected his agents of foul play and lodged a complaint with both FIFA and the Croatian Football Federation when Varela reappeared with Dinamo Odranski Obrez in Croatia's fourth level, joined by agent Faustino Gomes and lawyer Wilson Sardinha. A

ccording to reports from O Jogo, they had demanded €3 million from Porto to stay with them, with the intention of waiting until he turned 16 in October this year to sign a professional contract.

Having earned just five points in their previous six LaLiga fixtures, Hansi Flick and Co. await perhaps their toughest test of the season yet as they are set to take on Atletico Madrid (tied on points with Barca with a game in hand) at Montjuic on Saturday, December 21.