Ghanaian defender David Oduro is on the verge of bringing his two-year association with FC Barcelona to an end, with the highly rated left-back attracting interest from a number of clubs across Europe.
The 19-year-old has spent the past two seasons with Barcelona’s reserve outfit, Barça Atlètic, but his future in Catalonia now appears increasingly uncertain.
According to Spanish publication SPORT, Barcelona are prepared to facilitate Oduro’s departure after concluding that their options at left-back are sufficient to allow the teenager to move on.
Despite being ready to part ways with the Ghanaian, the Catalan giants are understood to be seeking to retain a 50 percent share of his future transfer rights, giving them a continued financial and sporting interest in his career.
Oduro’s situation had already attracted attention earlier in the summer when Austrian side Sturm Graz expressed an interest in signing him.
Barcelona initially turned down the approach as they assessed their squad depth, while Oduro was reportedly eager to secure a move that would provide him with the opportunity to compete at a higher level.
Sturm Graz’s involvement was particularly attractive given the club’s participation in European competition, but circumstances at Barcelona have since shifted.
The rise of Jordi Pesquer, who featured with the first team during pre-season, coupled with the arrival of Ecuadorian defender Josué Caicedo, has strengthened Barcelona’s options and seemingly accelerated the decision to make Oduro available for a transfer.
Aston Villa have now emerged as the strongest contenders for his signature.
The Premier League club are reportedly considering a move that would see Oduro join French Ligue 2 outfit Annecy, another club operating under the same ownership structure, providing the Ghanaian with a pathway to regular first-team football.
There is also interest from Portugal, where Tondela are said to be monitoring developments closely. The club reportedly opened up room for Oduro by allowing their first-choice left-back to leave for Latvian side Riga.
Another Portuguese outfit, Marítimo, have also made contact regarding the defender.
With several clubs circling and Barcelona seemingly ready to sanction his departure, Oduro is now edging closer to the next chapter of his career away from Camp Nou.
