According to Calciomercato, Barcelona are interested in the services of Santiago Ramos Mingo. The young Argentine midfielder, who currently plays for BOCA Juniors II, has been identified as the ideal target for new Barca coach Quique Setien. The former Real Betis manager believes that Ramos Mingo is a perfect fit for his tactical setup.
Who is Ramos Mingo?
A product of the BOCA Juniors youth academy, Ramos Mingo was playing for the CABJ U20 before he was promoted to the reserve side in the summer of 2018. Although, he is yet to make a senior appearance for the club, his performances in the youth leagues has gained quite a lot of traction.
A centre-back by trade, Ramos Mingo can be deemed as an enforcer, who, despite his short 1.80m stature, can be an intimidating figure in the backline. He is known for his brilliant commitment and aggression that makes him quite useful, especially when playing with a high line of press.
Moreover, Ramos Mingo has excellent anticipation, allowing him to make crucial interceptions. Not to mention, he is quite strong in the air, which also makes him a threat from indirect set-pieces. But, what makes him such a sought after young talent in South American football is his ability to play the ball out from the back.
Indeed, the 18-year-old is good with the ball at his feet, enabling him to not only take on defenders but also find attackers with his laser passes.
Is Ramos Mingo a viable target for Barcelona?
Ramos Mingo is certainly an exciting youngster, who has the talent to become a top-class defender. And at the age of just 18, he has time on his side and a lot of room to improve himself as a player.
Moreover, Mingo’s characteristic in terms of his style of play are ideally suited to Barcelona’s possession-based system. It is also fair to consider the fact that Setien rates him quite highly – making him a viable option for the Catalans, who certainly need to add more quality to their defensive unit.
Gerard Pique is already in the final phase of his career and Barcelona currently lack the services of a potential replacement. Ramos Mingo, in that regard, should be a welcome addition to the reserve side, where he can certainly improve himself as a player and hopefully become a breakout star within the coming years.
