Barcelona on verge of signing 21-year-old Brazilian

The Spanish champions Barcelona are reportedly on the verge of completing a £6 million deal for Palmeiras attacker Matheus Fernandes.

The 21-year-old midfielder only joined Palmeiras from Botafogo last year and has made 12 appearances for the club.

However, Barca are understood to have been monitoring his progress and Mundo Deportivo suggests that they view the Brazilian as a potential long-term replacement for Sergio Busquets at Camp Nou.

The report goes on to claim that the initial fee would be around £6m, with £3.4m in add-ons.

The playmaker is contracted to the Brazilian outfit until 2023 but has already informed his teammates that he will be leaving the club soon.

The Catalan giants are said to have been keeping tabs on Fernandes for the past two years and could finalise the deal in the January transfer window.