Barcelona's agreement to sign new right-back confirmed by sporting director
- Barcelona have struck an agreement to sign Trilli from Deportivo La Coruna
- 20-year-old will join Barça Atletic initially
- Xavi is still looking for a new senior right-back
By Tom Gott
Deportivo La Coruna sporting director Fernando Soriano has confirmed the club have agreed a deal to sell right-back Trilli to Barcelona.
Both Barcelona manager Xavi and president Joan Laporta have confirmed a new right-back is high on the club's wish list this summer after Hector Bellerin's short-lived return to Camp Nou failed to meet expectations.
A whole host of senior names have been linked with the position, including Real Valladolid's Ivan Fresneda and Bayern Munich duo Joshua Kimmich and Benjamin Pavard, and the search for first-team reinforcements continues.
At youth level, however, Barcelona have landed themselves one of Spain's most highly rated full-backs in 20-year-old Trilli, who is set to join up with Rafa Marquez's Barça Atletic side.
"We are writing all the documentation. His signing for Barça is imminent," Soriano told Sport. "In fact, he is already allowed not to train with us because of how advanced everything is."
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Trilli has been a regular for the third-tier side and has also represented Spain up to Under-19 level. He will initially help to reinforce a Barça Atletic side who have already lost a handful of big names this summer, including Victor Barbera and Ilias Akhomach.
The door to Xavi's first team will obviously remain open, however, although the Blaugrana remain keen to find somebody capable of offering some immediate help.
Sergino Dest, who has returned from his underwhelming loan with AC Milan, has voiced his desire to become Xavi's preferred right-back this summer, but a new signing is still expected through the door.
Valladolid starlet Fresneda, who is actually two years younger than Trilli, is seen as a likely candidate, but the 18-year-old also has interest from the likes of Arsenal and Bournemouth.
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