Barcelona 'monitoring Flamengo wonderkid Natan'

Barcelona are reportedly monitoring Flamengo defender Natan, with a view to strengthening their defence this summer.

The Flamengo defender has joined top-flight side Red Bull Bragantino on loan until December, with the Spanish giants understood to be keeping an eye on his progress.

Natan broke into the Flamengo side under former boss Domenec Torrent, and according to Sport, Barcelona have made positive scouting reports on the 6'1" centre half.

Torrent - assistant to Pep Guardiola at Manchester City from 2016-2018 - promoted him to the first team and was happy to play him in big games, for example in the Copa Libertadores, which Flamengo won in 2019.

The 20-year-old, who came through Flamengo's youth teams as a full back, has impressed both with his leadership despite his tender age and his technical qualities in playing the ball out from the back, which especially endear him to Barcelona.

Although he has struggled for regular first-team football under Torrent's successor Rogerio Ceni, Red Bull Bragatino are also in the top-flight and are involved in the Copa Sudamericana continental competition, so it is not a downwards move.

Barcelona may struggle to reach his £60million release clause if they wanted to secure his signature, given their financial woes as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Boss Ronald Koeman is nonetheless keen to increase his defensive options, with Gerard Pique now 34, and youngsters Ronald Araujo and Oscar Mingueza along with midfielder Frenkie de Jong often required to play at the back.

If Natan does move to one of the European sides watching him, he would follow in the footsteps of Real Madrid pair Vinicius Jr and Reinier Jesus and Lyon's Lucas Paqueta.