Alberto Moleiro: 'The new Pedri' Barcelona are desperate to sign

Born in Santa Cruz de Tenerife - the island's capital - to a Cuban father and a Canarian mother, the vast majority of Moleiro's footballing education came at amateur side CD Sobradillo.

It was not until 2018, when he was 15 years old, that he was picked up by Las Palmas and enrolled into the club's academy.

Just over a year later he made his debut for the club's reserve side, Las Palmas Atletico, who play in the lower reaches of Spanish football, but that would be one of only two times he turned out for Atletico in the truncated 2019-20 campaign.

Moleiro didn't really kick-on in 2020-21, making just another two appearances for Atletico, but by the start of the following campaign he wasn't just in the first-team squad, but starting regularly for manager Pepe Mel.

"From the first day I saw him training, I realised that he had something different," Mel told Mundo Deportivo shortly after handing Moleiro his debut. "He was a child, but since then he has grown a lot physically."

Mel slotted Moleiro into his team as their No.10, but following his mid-season sacking, new coach Garcia Pimienta moved the teenager out wide, predominantly starting him on the left wing.

Moleiro was still able to have an impact, scoring three times over the course of the season as Las Palmas reached the play-offs, and impressing enough for the reports of Barcelona's interest to start surfacing.

They weren't just reports, either. Moleiro has since revealed that there was an offer on the table from Barca to bring him to Catalunya over the summer, but that the deal fell through when Barcelona's financial issues meant that they could not get it over the line.

"It was two or three weeks after the end of the season," he explained to Relevo. "My agent told me that the offer existed, but there were also many rumours and things that were not true."

A boyhood Barca fan, Moleiro has put any disappointment he might have had about the decision not to sell him behind him in the early weeks of the season.

Handed the No.10 shirt and restored to a more central role, he has already provided three assists in the Segunda Division and earned his first Spain Under-21s caps.

Watching Moleiro can sometimes feel like you're watching two different players, such is his almost unique skillset.

He possesses the close control and press-resistant awareness of space of a modern-day midfielder, while also having the electric pace and dribbling ability of a natural winger.

It is a potent combination, and makes him highly elusive regardless of whether he lines up centrally or out wide.

He also has a decent shot on him, but it is his ability to take defenders out of the game, either by keeping the ball himself or playing in others, that truly makes him stand out.

While a decent passer, there are times where Moleiro could improve that aspect of his game, particularly in build-up play when sometimes his energetic style can get the better of him.

That fast-paced way of playing can also mean he finds himself out of position at times, as he can regularly be found chasing the ball when out of possession, leading to him leaving space behind him for the opposition to exploit.

There are also physical things to work on as he continues to get to grips with the men's game, but right now they are less concerning given his age.

It's an easy comparison to make - a highly-skilled Canarian midfielder who has come through the ranks at Las Palmas and now might be about to move to Barcelona makes Pedri the prime comparison for Moleiro.

And while there are clear similarities to their game, their are key differences too, as explained by ex-Las Palmas boss Pepe Mel, who gave both players their senior debuts.

"Pedri is a player who dictates the tempo of the game and ensures that possession is not lost. On the other hand, Moleiro always looks to get forward and engage the opposition's defence.

"Moleiro creates the chances, but Pedri is in charge of starting the moves off."

It seems unthinkable that Moleiro will still be a Las Palmas player this time next year, with Barcelona's interest having not gone away, while Manchester City and Arsenal have also since been linked with the teenager.

The only issue could end up being price. Moleiro signed a new four-year deal in July that saw his release clause rise to €30 million (£26.2m/$29.3m).

That would already be quite the outlay, but teams might be forced to act quickly and make their moves in January due to a second reported agreement in Moleiro's deal that would see that clause double should Las Palmas earn promotion.

Though the season is still in its relative infancy, Las Palmas are currently top of the Segunda Division, and the prospect of having to pay up to €60m for a player who, despite being supremely talented, is untested in top-flight football might prove too much for some.

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