Barcelona scouting 15-year-old Portuguese talent but potential FIFA intervention may scupper move

Portuguese winger Cardoso Varela was attracting attention from several of Europe’s top clubs, but a strange career move has seen his future take a turn. Barcelona are one of the sides interested in him.

Varela, 15, was until recently at Porto and playing for their under-17 side. The Portuguese giants have not heard from him for months though, and have submitted a complaint to FIFA and the Croatian Football Federation, as they believe they may have a case against his agents. Sport say FIFA are considering intervening.

The talented young forward re-appeared in Croatia’s fourth division at Dinamo Odranski Obrez, and the report goes from O Jogo, that he traveled there with lawyer Wilson Sardinha and agent Faustino Gomes. They were reportedly demanding €3m from Porto to continue at the club, while their plan in Croatia was to wait until October when he turns 16, and could sign a professional deal elsewhere in Croatia. Their plan was for this to be a bridge club before a move to the Bundesliga.

Varela was absent from various meetings about his future, and Porto have been trying without success to contact him, but the teenager even missed his school exams too. Barcelona have been watching the case develop, astonished, after registering initial interest.

In the past, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid have also been linked with Varela, but it looks as if none of the three will be signing him any time soon. Varela has also played for Portugal’s under-17s, and clearly has sufficient talent for whatever is going to be worth somebody’s while.