BARCELONA HAVE WRAPPED up a deal for Groningen’s teenage midfielder Ludovit Reis, with the youngster moving to Camp Nou on a long-term contract that includes a €100 million release clause.
It is reported that the Liga champions have parted with an initial fee of around €3m, which could rise to €8m if various clauses are met.
At just 18 years of age, a highly-rated talent is now set to join star-studded ranks at Camp Nou. He is a product of Groningen’s academy system and made his senior debut for the club in September 2017.
A place in the Eredivisie record books will forever be his, with a goal against Sparta Rotterdam making him the first player born in the 21st century to find the target in the Dutch top flight.
Defensive midfielder Reis, born in the Netherland to Slovakian parents, has been a regular since making a first-team breakthrough and will depart with the best wishes of those who have helped to shape his career to this point.
Reis is Barca’s third summer signing, following on from Ajax midfielder Frenkie de Jong and Brazilian full-back Emerson, who arrived from Atletico Mineiro.
Groningen’s technical director, Mark-Jan Fledderus, told the club’s official website: “It is a compliment to all levels of the club.
“The youth scout recognised the specific qualities of Ludovit four years ago and managed to persuade him to come to Groningen.
There the trainers went to work with him and they helped him in his further development.
“Ludovit subsequently had the opportunity to show himself at a very young age around the first-team selection.
“Thanks to the excellent facilities at the TopsportZorgCentrum, among other things, his development has gone at a furious pace. With the ultimate reward being the interest of Barcelona and this final transition.”
He added: “This transfer shows that it is possible for talented young players at FC Groningen, under professional supervision and in a top sports environment, to develop and make the transition from Groningen to a world-famous club like Barcelona.
“But the biggest compliment goes to Ludovit Reis himself, who was named ‘Warrior of the Year’ in 2017 for FC Groningen training for a reason. We wish him every success in Spain. ”
The Eredivisie club’s managing director, Hans Nijland, went on to say: “In 23 years I have been able to do business on behalf of FC Groningen with large clubs at home and abroad, but this transfer with one of the largest clubs in the world is a wonderful agreement.”
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Agree with his comments in that regard but a bit rich coming from him as La Liga chief where Barca and Real carve up the TV rights with their own TV deals which dwarf the alms handed out to the rest. Could do with sorting his own shop too..
@alternativefacter: your right about the TV rights there has been slight improvement but still nowhere near enough in Spanish football
PSG and City just copying the financial doping model invented by the Spanish and Catalan governments.
@Stanley Baggins: that’s just plain ignorance. The Spanish government lost true control years ago over the sport . It wasn’t a plan it was just ineptitude . The Catalan government is a regional government and have nothing to do with it . Still you’ll get more likes cos people love to believe s#it€
He wasnt saying anything when Real were winning. How much debt has the goverment wiped clean for them?
@Kingshu: used to be the king, is the government at it now?
@Kingshu: he is the League President , he has two many enemies , the Spanish FA and UEFA/CL
@Dave O Keeffe: the King ??? Haha haha deluded ! That’s like saying it was Franco cos he was top dog in Europe .
The rest of the football world should seize & allow Real & Barca to dominate
Javier has made some excellent points.
It was okay when their lads were the biggest fish in the pond. I agree with him but its hypocritical on his part. The two he mentions can’t get within an ass’s roar of a final no matter how much they bend the rules.
@Hardly Normal: Wait
…at one point they were going to wind up Real Madrid. It would have taken the main Spanish banks down with them. State support???
@Tom McHugh: what point was that ? A date maybe ?
City’s record signing is £60 million, what is Barcelona’s or Real’s. And they apparently wanted this idiot to be chief executive of the Premier League.
@William Boland: city just buy buy buy and consistently price other teams out of signings. I think your forgetting PSG though. Remember the whole Neymar+Mbappe double transfer? That was beyond farcical
@William Boland: it’s not what they pay it’s who they pay it for ? Real and Barca also sell their players for often more than when signed , even Ronaldo’s fee for Juventus was technically more . Who do City sell for more than they paid for ??
@Limón Madrugada: in the last 5 years, who have City overpaid for? They got out of the race for Sanchez because they didn’t want to overpay for him, same as DeJong. You can say PSG City in no way created the market the way it is now.
@William Boland: I haven’t said they’ve overpaid for anyone . I’m saying if you spend 12 x50M that’s 600M whereas if you’re an extremely rich club like Real Madrid or Barca you spend 200M -300M because you’ve just sold Neymar , Ronaldo or even Morata for 70-100-250M , and you’ve picked up 100m for winning the CL .. or should I say 400M for winning it 4 times in 5 years . It’s the total spend that’s high not the price for the player .And how you generated the money to pay for him . Madrid generates 120M a year from Adidas alone . 120M from ticket sales . Barca even more . City don’t generate that income , but they can spend better than the best .
He’s right too..
But its ok for Barcelona and Real to buy La Liga every year
@Brysonpieters: Barca didn’t buy it this year . Nor last year . Madrid’s last League win included the European double and they made no significant additions to that years squad that made the difference . Madrid has spent its money recently on future players some of whom have just started to play a bit ( Vinicius Jr) or Rodrygo , yet to arrive . Their impact on Madrid’s league position is minimal