Barcelona Lead Race for 19-Year-Old Defender Jorge Salinas

Barcelona are ahead of Atletico Madrid in the race to sign 19-year-old Spanish defender Jorge Salinas from Racing Santander. The left-back has attracted interest from several top clubs after a standout season in Spain’s second division. Salinas featured in 33 league matches in 2025/26, starting 30 of them, and supplied seven assists. His contributions helped Racing Santander secure promotion to La Liga. Barcelona are pursuing a direct agreement with Racing Santander rather than activating Salinas’ full release clause. Racing value the player at roughly €16 million, and both sides are discussing contractual and financial details. One option under review would see Salinas sign for Barcelona and immediately return to Racing on loan for the 2026/27 season. The loan would keep him in a familiar environment while Barcelona retain his registration. Another proposal involves adding a young academy player to the deal to facilitate negotiations. A third structure proposes a lower initial fee combined with performance‑related bonuses and a future‑sale percentage, similar to previous Barcelona transfers. Negotiations are described as progressing positively, and Barcelona remain optimistic that an agreement can be reached in the coming weeks. Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce. Photo by David Ramos.