Barcelona’s €8 million teenage gamble already showing signs of paying off – report

Barcelona’s €8 million teenage gamble already showing signs of paying off – report Barcelona have recruited very well in the summer transfer window so far, bringing in the likes of Anthony Gordon, Karim Adeyemi, Rodri and Joao Cancelo. However, their smartest acquisition this summer has to be Jesse Bisiwu, whom they brought in from Club Brugge for €8 million. Deco invested heavily in an unproven talent, believing that he has the ability to become an important first-team player. Initial signs suggest that the confidence may have been well placed. Bisiwu has started showing his talent According to SPORT , Bisiwu arrived needing competitive rhythm after his refusal to renew at Club Brugge had contributed to reduced playing time. Barcelona have therefore designed a development plan that gives him access to Hansi Flick’s first-team environment while keeping him registered with Barça Atletic. A special talent. (Photo courtesy: FC Barcelona official website) The idea is straightforward: train around senior players but use the reserve team to collect the regular minutes an 18-year-old still needs. Bisiwu scored twice during the first team’s friendly in Basel, providing an exciting glimpse of his finishing ability. He then impressed with Barça Atletic against Reus , producing an excellent first-half display and seemed to be playing at a level he was too good for. His agility, ability with both feet and directness around the penalty area have particularly stood out. Barça remain completely calm about his development and are working on sorting out a bureaucratic issue that is preventing him from making his official first-team debut. Barcelona taking care of Bisiwu off the pitch too Barcelona’s investment is about more than simply making the best use of Bisiwu on the pitch. This is his first professional experience away from Belgium, so the club and his family are attempting to make the transition as comfortable as possible. Barça taking good care of Bisiwu. (Photo courtesy: FC Barcelona official website) After initially staying in a hotel, his family have moved to Barcelona and are establishing themselves close to the training complex. There is also an international decision waiting in the background. Bisiwu has represented Belgium at youth level but remains eligible for Ghana through his parents. That decision has been postponed while his immediate focus remains Barcelona. If he continues to impress as he has done in these initial weeks, it will not be long before Hansi Flick starts using Bisiwu regularly. Barça have the chance to make the money they spent to bring in the teenager look utterly cheap in a few years, and it remains to be seen how he gets on.