Barcelona youngster Konrad de la Fuente has been called up by Gregg Berhalter for the United States’ fixtures against Wales and Panama in November.
The 19-year-old came close to leaving the La Liga side as a free agent in the summer, but signed a new deal with the Blaugrana two days before his contract was set to expire on June 30th.
His current deal runs until 2022, yet there are ‘additional important clauses’, as reported by journalist Miguel Rico in today’s edition of Mundo Deportivo.
Rico claims the young forward can ‘go on loan for free next season’ if he fails to have an opportunity in Barca’s first team this campaign and the Spanish side will not have an option to ‘prevent’ the teenager going out on loan ‘for free’ next summer.
The Catalan club retain an option to unilaterally extend La Fuente’s contract until 2024, if he features for Ronald Koeman’s side this term. His current deal has a €50m release clause and that figure will be doubled if he becomes part of the first team squad.
After Ansu Fati and Pedri, who are younger than the American, were given opportunities in the first team, Rico adds ‘Konrad has all the numbers to be Ronald’s next challenge in the bet on youth’.
He further states: ‘The quality that is valued in Konrad is his ability, with speed and obsession for depth, to make his marker recoil, disorganise the rival defensive line and create a free zone behind him that can be occupied by a teammate in attack missions.’
‘One would say that if he is able to maintain this line, it will force Barça to anticipate the extension of the contract and, on the other hand, make the technicians think if with a boy of these characteristics in the squad, whether the group needs is a Pure ‘9’ like Lukaku or a false one like Depay.’
Konrad de la Fuente will find out this season whether or not he made the right decision by signing a new contract at Barcelona.
