Liverpool are reportedly on the verge of completed a deal for talented Barcelona starlet Bobby Adekanye. As the Daily Mail tell us, the Reds are close to finalising the teenager’s switch after he grew frustrated with life in Spain.
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Learn everything you need to know about our potential new signing in the list below…
Basic Information:
- Omobolaji Habeeb Adekanye – known commonly as Bobby – was born in Ibadan, Nigeria, on 14 February 1999, making him 16 years old.
- He lived in Nigeria until he was four, at which point his family moved to Amsterdam, making him eligible for both international teams.
- Adekanye is a left winger and would compete with the likes of Sheyi Ojo and Harry Wilson for a place in our academy team. He has tremendous acceleration and skill which make him capable of also playing in behind a central striker.
Club Career:
- Bobby began his playing career with Ajax and was once pictured smiling alongside a man by the name of Luis Suarez.
- At the age of 12 he was signed by Barcelona. However, because he moved to Spain without both of his parents his transfer was determined to be one seven that fell foul of FIFA regulations. He was subsequently banned from playing competitive games for the Catalans until the age of sixteen.
- Last season he was sent out on loan to PSV Eindhoven. He was due to return to Barcelona this summer but, according to the Daily Mail, he has grown tired of being moved about by the Spaniards and is ready to stun them by signing for Liverpool.
Fun Facts:
- Bobby has been favourably compared to Bayern Munich and Netherlands star Arjen Robben.
- You might also notice more than a couple of similarities between him and Raheem Sterling… what a perfect replacement for the youngster, should he join Manchester City this summer.
- He wouldn’t be the first player to walk out on Barcelona’s famous academy. It’s probably still best not to mention the Cesc Fabregas saga around anyone from the Catalan set-up.
- We might be seeing him sooner that you might expect. Adekanye’s agent, Josep Maria Minguella Junior, said last week: “It is 95 per cent certain that Bobby is leaving for Liverpool. Ajax and PSV were also options, but ultimately the choice in this case is the Premier League; the biggest competition in the world. Liverpool’s confidence is great. If Bobby continues to develop as over the past few years, they see him as a first team player. He starts with the Under-18 team and the club have a plan that is mapped out to tutor him to get him into the first team in a few years.”
Watch him in action: