Manchester City 'favourites' to sign Barcelona wonderkid
English Premier League big-spenders Manchester City look set to complete the signing of wonderkid Gai Assulin – without spending a penny on transfer fees. The hugely talented 19-year-old is available on a free transfer after his contract with Spanish giants Barcelona expired.
Although the youngster is regarded by many as one of the brightest prospects in world football, he struggled to be involved with the first team at Barca and has decided to try his luck elsewhere. He is reported to be training with City as they assess whether to offer him a deal.
As Assulin is under 21, he will be able to play for EPL clubs without having to be named in their 25-man senior squads under new rules. City are also said to be keen to bolster the talent in their youth academy with an eye on the future after making several big-money signings over the past two years.
'Next Messi'
The youngster has been hailed as the ‘next Lionel Messi’ in some quarters and is said to have attracted the attention of City, Tottenham Hotspur and several other clubs throughout Europe. The player is managed by agent Pini Zavahi, who has links with several top clubs including EPL champions Chelsea. With a high-profile agent touting him, it surely won’t be long before Assulin finds his way to a new team.
One stumbling block in the way of Assulin signing for a new team may come in the form of his fragile knee. An injury to the joint ruled him out of the entire 2008-09 season. However, as he is available for no fee, several teams appear willing to take a chance on the Israeli.
Versatile youngster
He can play as a winger on either flank or as an attacking midfielder. He has become known for his quick pace and tremendous skill with the ball, but, like Messi, he is on the small side and may struggle with the more aggressive nature of EPL teams.
Assulin started his career as a boy with Hapoel Haifa and Beitar Tubruk in his homeland. At the age of 12 he tried out with, and was accepted into, the Catalan club’s youth academy, which has seen graduates such as Xavi Hernandez and Andreas Iniesta become staples of the Barcelona first team and world champions with Spain.
In 2007, Assulin graduated into the Barcelona B team. He was rewarded for his progression through the ranks with his first senior contract for three years and with a buy-out clause of 20 million euros.
In September 2007, Assulin made his senior debut at the age of 16 as he featured in a game against Girona. In the 2007-08 season, he helped manager Pep Guardiola’s team to the Tercera Division title. When Guardiola was promoted to become coach of the senior team, it was expected by some that Assulin would join the first-team squad. However, it was not to be and he was left to play with the reserve team.
After recovering from his knee injury, Assulin was invited to take part in the senior teams pre-season matches ahead of the 2009-10 season. He featured in three games, against Spurs, City and Egyptian giants Al-Ahly. In October 2009, he made his debut in a competitive match for the club in a Copa dey Rey tie against Cultural Leonesa. It was his only competitive appearance for Barcelona.
Assulin has also won recognition at international level. In 2008, he played for Israel when he came on as a substitute in a friendly match against Chile. His appearance saw him become the youngest-ever player to feature for Israel’s senior national team. Although that was his only cap, he has played 13 times for the Israel Under-21 team.
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