Leeds United are reportedly close to signing Barcelona youngster Ilias Akhomach on a free transfer, in a deal which could see Victor Orta repeat his 2018 masterclass of Pascal Struijk.
Could Leeds United sign Akhomach this summer?
According to the Spanish news outlet Sport, Leeds have already agreed on a deal to sign the teenager after he failed to pen terms on a new contract at the Nou Camp.
The 19-year-old's deal is set to expire at the end of June and it is claimed that he will become a Leeds player shortly after, despite reported interest from Arsenal, AC Milan and Sevilla.
Akhomach was said to be convinced by the long-term project proposed by Orta and the opportunities that young players at Leeds are being afforded, even if it may cost the Yorkshire outfit their spot in the Premier League next season.
The La Masia graduate even started Barcelona's first game under Xavi but was unwilling to commit his future to the Catalan club after a lack of opportunities, with just three first-team appearances to his name.
However, Barcelona's loss will be Leeds' gain, and if Akhomach can live up to his obvious potential that many have spotted including GOAL – who dubbed him a "wonderkid" – then he could prove to be a sensational bit of business by Orta, perhaps emulating his free signing of Struijk more than five years ago.
Could Akhomach emulate Struijk at Leeds?
While Akhomach and Struijk are obviously very different types of players, they both learned their trade at some of the most reputable academies in European football, with the Leeds centre-back joining on a free transfer after spending time in Ajax's famous youth sides.
He has gone on to establish himself as a key player at Elland Road, with 92 appearances under his belt before the age of 24.
Even in a Leeds side that has shipped more goals than any other Premier League side so far this campaign, the Dutchman is still ranked as the top performer in Javi Gracia's squad according to WhoScored, which emphasises how well Orta did to recognise his potential and sign him on a free back in 2018.
Akhomach would arrive at Elland Road with more first-team experience and may be expecting to be a regular right away, given that he was considered good enough to start at Barcelona and has featured 41 times for the reserve side.
Former Barcelona B manager Garcia Pimenta was full of praise for the winger when he made his debut for the B team age of 16.
He said: “He’s a cheeky, brave player with a lot of quality, but he’s only 16. We have very young players and we can’t load them with too much responsibility."
Therefore, if Akhomach can live up to his potential and show his quality at Leeds, there seems no reason why he can't become a key player like Struijk in the future.