ARSENAL HAVE BEEN known to take the odd, young talent from Barcelona’s La Masia down through the years, but Marcus McGuane is a player heading in the opposite direction.
The 18-year-old midfielder has been with the Gunners since joining as a six-year-old but it has been announced today that he will join Barca B after signing a three-year deal, which includes as €25 million buyout clause.
London-born McGuane represented the Republic of Ireland at U17 level as he qualifies through grandparents hailing from Cork, Limerick and Portlaoise.
At that point going under the surname ‘Agyei-Tabi’, he lined out for the Boys in Green at the U17 European Championships in May 2015.
However, the teenager opted to switch allegiance to his birth country later that year and he has since gone on to earn caps for England at U17, U18 and U19 level.
McGuane’s contract at Arsenal was due to expire at the end of the season and a number of Europe’s top clubs were reportedly in for him.
📝🔵🔴 ÚLTIMA HORA - Acuerdo con el @Arsenal para el traspaso de Marcus McGuane. El jugador ha firmado como azulgrana para las próximas tres temporadas con opción a dos más https://t.co/fKcrg17VEJ #BarçaB #BeWelcome pic.twitter.com/y5thEWaC1g
— FC Barcelona B (@FCBarcelonaB) January 30, 2018
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Promising for the national team
@billy Dorney: not ours unfortunately so who cares. Can’t see him switching back now.
@billy Dorney:
Promising? Just another average player who won’t make a singe first team appearance for the England National Team or Barcelona
He will be playing for some Championship side within the next five years.
@Just Some Guy: and fair play to him.
@Just Some Guy: He’s better than you and have you seen him play before? Probably not. So stop talking shi*e
Did anything ever come of the young lad Gilsenan who signed for Barcelona? Last I heard he was transferring to Liverpool, nothing since.
He’d still be too young for the first team I guess but is he playing underage for Ireland?