Shane Kluivert Reported to Join Barcelona First‑Team Pre‑Season
The move would let Barcelona’s coaches assess the 18‑year‑old against senior players and test whether he is ready for a step up.
Overview
- Dutch outlet De Telegraaf has reported that Hansi Flick told Shane Kluivert he will join the senior squad for pre‑season and that report was carried by Yahoo Sports and Barca Blaugranes.
- Sources say Kluivert is expected to take pre‑season medical checks and to join Barcelona’s training camp at St George’s Park for evaluation rather than a guaranteed promotion.
- Kluivert is an 18‑year‑old winger who made 22 appearances for Barcelona Atlètic last season and signed a contract extension that runs through 2028.
- He will be part of a larger group of academy players Manchester expected to be included early in pre‑season, with Ebrima Tunkara, Oscar Gistau and Hamza Abdelkarim among those named in reports.
- Barcelona has a recent pattern of using pre‑season to fast‑track academy talent so training with senior players could speed Kluivert’s development and influence his chances for first‑team minutes next season.