- 15 hours ago
Who is Iker Bravo? The former Barcelona wonderkid on his way to Madrid
Daniel Edwards
- Updated: 11 Aug 2022 19:28 BST
- 3 min read
Barcelona's youth academy La Masia is famed for the talent which has walked out of its doors over the years.
From Lionel Messi to Ansu Fati, Xavi to Gavi, the Catalans have reaped the benefits of their system - but now it is Real Madrid who are set to become the recipients of the academy's latest gem.
Iker Bravo, 17, is on the verge of a move to the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, having left La Masia last year for Leverkusen in the Bundesliga.
Madrid will take the teenager on an initial loan deal, which includes the option to make the transfer permanent at the end of the current season for a fee reportedly worth €6 million.
It is quite the turnaround for the forward, who spent almost the entirety of his short life under the wing of the Blaugrana only to be destined to join their arch-rivals.
Bravo is indeed Barca through and through. He was born in the Catalan heartland town of Sant Cugat del Valles in January 2005, growing up just 20 kilometres from Camp Nou itself and becoming a part of the club's infant ranks at the age of five.
He quickly made a name for himself at La Masia, flying up the age levels while also catching the eye of the Spanish national set-up as a speedy young forward with great ability on the ball and a natural eye for goal.
Having already represented Spain at Under-15 and 17 levels, Bravo was chosen for the nation's U19 squad at the end of 2021, while still a full two months short of his 17th birthday.
A new start in Germany
In spite of that prodigious trajectory, the youngster was allowed to simply walk away from Barcelona at the end of the 2020-21 season, as the Catalans could not find room for him in their Juvenil A U19 team.
🤯🤯🤯🤯
¡Iker #Bravo nos regaló esta joya de gol! 🖤🚲❤️
¿Qué calificación le dan? 🦁💯 pic.twitter.com/sPpIb4UcPL— Bayer 04 Leverkusen (@bayer04_es) October 23, 2021
Bravo subsequently packed his bags for Germany, where Leverkusen were more than happy to take him in, and within three months of his arrival the youngster was making his first-team debut in the DFB Pokal - later breaking Leverkusen's own record for youngest-ever Bundesliga debutant, though he was overtaken by team-mate Zidan Sertdemir in the very same game.
The forward remained in Leverkusen's youth ranks for the rest of the season and is likely to perform a similar role for Madrid once his transfer is finalised, be it with their age group teams or reserve side Castilla.
He is a bet for the future, and one that shows every sign of one day pay off - and if Bravo can follow through on his undoubted potential there will likely be a few long faces at Camp Nou after seeing another great promise slip through their fingers.
