Barça are interested in signing Real Betis left-back Junior Firpo
The club is looking to strengthen the competition in that role as last season the only senior left back at the Camp Nou was Jordi Alba
FC Barcelona are looking to add competition to the left back role and challenge the ever-present Jordi Alba for a starting spot. One of the top prospects from LaLiga is none other than Real Betis youngster Hector Junior Firpo Adamas, Junior to his friends. The 22-year-old has a contract with Betis until 2023.
The two clubs met a month ago when Betis asked about players which might be allowed to leave the Camp Nou this summer. Llorenç Serra Ferrer, a former Barça coach, is the current director of football at Betis.
Barça asked about Junior, who has a €60m buyout clause, and were told an offer in the region of €30m would be enough to get talks underway.
In that meeting Barça put a move to one side to focus on other areas of the squad. However in the last few hours those conversations has started up again. Ernesto Valverde wants someone who can put pressure on Jordi Alba and eventually replace the tireless full back. The final weeks of the season have been tough for Alba but, with no replacement available, he was forced to play through his bad run of form.
"On a personal level it's been the best season of my career, except for the last few matches," is what Alba said following the Copa del Rey final defeat.
As for Junior, he arrived at Malaga's youth academy when he was just six years old alongside his family. Before coming to Spain Junior had never played football and didn't even know much about the sport. In the Dominican Republic, baseball is the national game. His father thought joining a local team would help him intergrate and make new friends. His natural talent saw interest in this prospect emerge very quickly.
He began his career with Atlético Benamiel, where he left training sessions in tears a little over a year in because he said he didn't like football. Junior then moved to Arroyo de la Miel, the town where Isco was born, before signing for Tiro Pichon and lastly Puerto Malagueño. It was from there Betis brought him in alongside another full back, Francis.
Junior's form has been fantastic this season but injury reduced him to just 29 appearances. He scored three goals, one of those came in the 4-3 match at the Camp Nou, and now he could be set to make that stadium his new home.
