In a football world filled with countless stars of today, so many of us are curious about who is waiting in the wings. That search for that next wonderkid; a youngster that has the potential to make us stand up and marvel at how they are masters of their craft despite their tender age, is always on the minds of millions of fans around the world.
With this in mind, we at 101 Great Goals will be bringing you another weekly series taking a look at players across the world that are 21-years-old or younger. Some of them you will have no doubt heard of, while we hope to bring you a few new names to spark your curiosities every now and then.
Name: Pablo Torre
Age: 19-years-old
Position: Attacking Midfield
Place of Birth: Soto de la Marina, Spain
National team caps: 0 (capped at U19 level)
Current club: Real Racing Club de Santander
Current Market Value (per Transfermarkt): €3-million
Potential suitor(s): Barcelona
Barcelona is amidst a period of transformation that countless are supporting in full voice if you are in Catalunya or any Blaugranes enclave around the globe that has seen the La Liga giants reversal in 2021-22 under legendary midfield maestro Xavi in the wake of Ronald Koeman’s departure.
Barça struggled mightily under the iconic former Dutch international and sat ninth in the table, causing the club to correctly pull the trigger on calling time on their relationship with Koeman. In a bid to get back to their roots, Barcelona gambled on Xavi in a big way after the son of La Masia had only cut his managerial teeth in Qatar with Al Sadd but doing so in an impressive fashion.
Gavi update. Barcelona will meet with his agent in the coming days, probably it will happen this week. New contract will be on the table – Barça plan to keep Gavi has not changed. 🔴📑 #FCB
Gavi wants to stay – talks will now enter into final details to find the best solution. pic.twitter.com/6ULXoxFRTr
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) May 3, 2022
Pablo Torre is a pure spectacle. Today with another assist and was directly involved in both goals. Reached a double-double today. Racing officially with a promotion to LaLiga2 and Pablo is their biggest star. His impact, directness, and creativity make him a joy to watch. pic.twitter.com/YClGR3lKEv
— Piotr Guziński (@Nyctophile1_) May 1, 2022
A product of Racing’s academy set-up, Torre has already endeared himself to Los Verdiblancos faithful after being the leading light for the Cantabrian outfit this season as they earned promotion back into the Segunda División (LaLiga SmartBank) next season, scoring 10-goals and adding a further 9-assists in the league which helped Racing top the table.
Pablo Torre, pretty much straight away, would be FC Barcelona’s best set-piece taker. It’s rare to see a 19-year-old with such astute/refined deliveries.
Another game, another goal contribution! That’s 19 G+A’s in 28 appearances, predominantly as an *advanced interior*
— Neal 🇦🇺 (@NealGardner_) May 1, 2022
That same desire to acquire talented youngsters from outside the Barça sphere helped the club land fellow 19-year old Pedri from UD Las Palmas in the summer of 2020, with the rise of the full Spanish international being one of the talking points of Euro 2020 last summer when he shone under Luis Enrique.
Pedri González 🆚 Pablo Torre.
Stats at last season before joining FC Barcelona.Two Spanish Generationals🇪🇸
[@ProFutureStars1] pic.twitter.com/Ii45V2nxtd— 𝐍.𝐑.𝐉 (@MisterCuler) May 2, 2022
The directive at the club is clear when it comes to propping up a youth movement under Xavi, but what still remains unclear is whether or not Torre will have a direct role to play for Barcelona next season.
Barcelona have three possibilities with Pablo Torre this summer:
– Promote him to the first team.
– Keep him in the B team, but in first team dynamics.
– Loan him back to Racing.The decision will be taken in pre-season, when Xavi has the chance to work with him.
— @sport pic.twitter.com/k3q1Q90VuZ
— Barça Universal (@BarcaUniversal) May 3, 2022
It is a tricky decision that Xavi and his staff will have to make, and at the very least, reports suggesting that he is prepared to survey the youngster during their pre-season program at the very least should provide him a benchmark to assess what he feels the Spanish youth international needs.
The next few seasons could potentially make or break Pablo Torre, as it so often does for many gifted young players whose pathway to prominence is either aided or hindered by decisions that so often are not theirs to make.
But if his career to date is anything to go by, the influence he has shown in Cantabria will undoubtedly translate to Catalonia as long as Barcelona is allowed to do what they have historically done best.
If you missed last week’s installment, check out Ones to Watch; Kamaldeen Sulemana
