Barcelona in race against time to trigger young defender's release clause before price DOUBLES

Following the initial summer acquisition of Anthony Gordon, the Catalan giants have turned their attention toward securing a second signing under manager Hansi Flick. A report from Spanish publication Sportreveals that Camp Nou chiefs have led the race for teenage defender Salinas after his stellar promotion campaign. The club has successfully fought off intense rival interest from various Premier League and Spanish suitors due to the player's desire to join the Blaugrana.

Super-agent Jorge Mendes recently visited Santander to facilitate talks, informing the Catalan board that the left-sided defender currently commands an affordable €8 million release clause. The prominent representative used his strong relationship with the Camp Nou hierarchy to drive negotiations forward and secure a verbal agreement. Club decision-makers view the versatile 19-year-old as an exceptional market opportunity and are working rapidly to structure a final deal before the price escalates.

The teenager enjoyed a stellar breakout season in the second tier, registering seven assists across 33 appearances while seamlessly shifting between left-back and central defensive roles. His imminent arrival coincides with a broader defensive reshuffle under Flick, who intends to integrate the Spain Under-19 international directly into the first-team squad for pre-season training. The ongoing pursuit occurs alongside simultaneous negotiations to retain Portuguese full-back Joao Cancelo permanently following his loan stint from Al-Hilal.

Camp Nou officials must finalise the transaction before June 30 as the player's release clause doubles to €16m on July 1. To lower this fee, sporting director Deco aims to include a reserve player on loan to the Cantabrian side. Securing this signature early allows the recruitment department to shift their primary focus toward landing an elite centre-forward following the departure of Robert Lewandowski at the end of his contract.