The new Messi?

Never let it be said that Barcelona’s scouts are lazy. Not content, in recent years, with discovering Lionel Messi, Bojan Krkic and Giovani Dos Santos to name but three, the club’s newest signing has just been confirmed – and impressed by Messi, they’ve gone for another young Argentine.

Mauro Iscardi turns 15 on Tuesday of next week, and originally hails from Rosario. He has, however, spent a while in the Canary Islands, playing for Vecindario and doing very well in their youth sides. Barcelona weren’t the only European heavyweights after him – Sevilla, Valencia, Espanyol, Deportivo La Coruña, Real Madrid, Liverpool and Arsenal all held talks as well. He has, however, been impressed with Barça’s training complex, and will join Lionel Messi and Gaby Milito at the club.

Icardi also holds and Italian passport and already has an endorsement contract with a certain large German sportswear company. I’ll leave you to work out just which one from the photo above…