Among all the new signings at Barcelona this past summer, Jesse Bisiwu's name went under the radar the most, given that the youngster wasn't coming with heaps of experience at the highest level of football.
Yet, Bisiwu has shown exceptional promise during his time in the youth levels so far, with many considering him an exciting long-term prospect for the club.
Currently, Bisiwu is out on international duty, plying his trade for the Belgian U-21 setup.
Speaking during the international break, Bisiwu could not hide his delight at having joined Barcelona from Club NXT Bruges this summer.
"The first time I heard that Barça were coming to see me, I was very happy. It's a dream club. I think Barcelona don't go after just anyone,"he told Belgian broadcaster RTBF (h/t Mundo Deportivo ).
Bisiwu joined Barcelona from Club NXT. (Photo courtesy: FC Barcelona official website)
The 18-year-old, who signed a five-year contract until 2031, also praised the warm welcome he has received from the club, his teammates in the first team and those at Barca Atletic.
Bisiwu, who also holds Ghanaian nationality, was careful not to commit his international future exclusively to Belgium .
"You never know what the future holds, but right now I'm focused on the under-21s and winning matches,"he stated.
While Bisiwu's enthusiasm is clear, the reality is that opportunities at the first-team level could be hard to come by this season.
Barcelona's attack is stacked with quality, boasting the likes of Raphinha , Lamine Yamal , Anthony Gordon , Karim Adeyemi and Fermin Lopez , all of whom are ahead of the youngster in the pecking order.
Jesse Bisiwu has generated a lot of buzz at Barcelona. (Picture credit: x/@FCBarcelona)
With the recent addition of Gabriel Jesus as well, competition for places in the final third is fiercer than ever.
As such, Bisiwu is one of the young players who may find it difficult to make a genuine breakthrough this term, at least in the short term.
For now, the teenager appears more likely to feature primarily for Barca Atletic while gradually integrating into first-team training.
That is not necessarily a bad thing as Barca Atletic has given a strong platform to young, talented players. Whether or not the youngster can maintain patience remains to be seen.
