What you need to know about Marc Jurado, the Barca kid set for Man Utd

Quick Reads

Planet Football
22nd July 2020

Manchester United look set to strengthen their impressive academy by signing highly-rated Barcelona teenager Marc Jurado.

Jurado is considered one of Spain’s brightest prospects and United have reportedly convinced the player to swap Barcelona for Manchester.

We’ve brought you the lowdown on the 16-year-old who would be following a similar path to current Barcelona legend Gerard Pique.

Who is he?

Born in April 2004, Jurado started his football career at Can Rull in Catalonia before joining Barcelona’s famous La Masia academy at the age of seven.

He hit the headlines in 2013 after scoring for Barcelona’s Under-10s within five seconds of kick off in a game against Viladecans, which is still the fastest goal ever recorded at youth level.

The Spaniard was also part of the team that beat Real Madrid in the Under-12s Mediterranean International Cup in 2016, scoring the opening goal in the final.

He has been playing for the club’s Under-16 side this season and was due to be promoted to the Under-17s for the 2020-21 campaign.

But the teenager turned down the offer of a contract extension from the La Liga side in favour of a switch to Old Trafford.

His contract expired on June 30 2020 and United will only have to pay a compensation fee of around £175,000 for the talented 16-year-old.

Where does he play?

Jurado has played predominantly as a right-back throughout his time at La Masia but can also play further forward as a winger.

As a modern full-back, he’s known to do his best work while surging forward and has also shown an impressive eye for goal at Barcelona.

It is anticipated that Jurado will join United’s Under-18 side next season and the teenager will hope to impress Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

But his path to the first team will be tough, with Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Diogo Dalot and Timothy Fosu-Mensah all in his position.

What he said

“It is never easy to leave the team that has given you everything,” Jurado wrote on his official Instagram account to confirm his departure. “FC Barcelona has been my second home, my second family, where I have trained as a player but also as a person.

“Today I have to say goodbye but not before thanking each of the people who have helped me since I started in 2011. I have been fortunate to share my passion with a fantastic generation with whom I will always be linked.

“We started as children who only wanted to run after the ball and I said goodbye, nine years later, being able to call them friends. Only we know the immense luck we have had with all the coaches who have trained us and helped us to continue fulfilling our dreams.”