Real Madrid and Barcelona involved in transfer battle to sign 19-year-old midfielder: Reports
Real Madrid and Barcelona are keeping tabs on Celta Vigo's 19-year-old midfielder Hugo Sotelo ahead of the summer, according to Spanish outlet Relevo.
Celta Vigo boast one of the best academies in Spain, having produced several top talents over the years. Gabri Veiga, one of La Liga's brightest prospects, plies his trade for Los Celestes.
Sotelo is another exciting talent to have come through the ranks at Celta recently. The midfielder made his senior debut for the club in their 2-1 La Liga win against Barcelona in May 2021 and has since made two more appearances.
The teenager has made 22 appearances for Celta's B team this term, bagging one goal and two assists in the process. Although Sotelo is yet to establish himself in the senior squad, he is already attracting significant transfer interest.
According to the aforementioned source, Real Madrid and Barcelona have placed Sotelo on their radar. Both teams view the central midfielder as a top talent with a bright future ahead.
As per the said report, Real Madrid are yet to make a move to sign Sotelo. However, they took a closer look at him when Celta's B team faced Castilla earlier this month.
Barcelona, meanwhile, have been scouting Sotelo for months and have made no secret of their interest in him. Talks over a potential transfer, though, have not begun if the report is to be believed.
Celta Vigo keen to tie Real Madrid and Barcelona target Hugo Soleto to new deal
Celta Vigo are under no pressure to sell Hugo Soleto as he is contracted to them until 2025. The teenager also has a €10 million release clause in his deal with the club. Los Celestes are confident that the El Clasico giants will not pay such an amount for a player who would not join their first team immediately.
Furthermore, Celta also intend to convince Soleto to put pen to paper on a new deal with them. To the Spanish club's delight, the midfielder is prepared to commit his future to them.
According to the aforementioned report, Celta want to extend Soleto's deal by another year and offer him a pathway to the first team. The new contract would also see the Spaniard's release clause rise to €20 million and later to a higher figure.
Meanwhile, apart from Real Madrid and Barcelona, another Spanish club are reportedly keeping tabs on Soleto. The player, though, is likely to stay at Celta for now.