Barça will sign a Croatian promise that is already exciting: who is he?

Published New:8/07/2025 - 18:08h

Updated New:8/07/2025 - 18:10h

The Catalan club is betting heavily on Lovro Chelfi, an 18-year-old Croatian attacking midfielder who arrives to shine in the lower categories. Will he be the next great Barça promise?

FC Barcelona would be close to acquiring the services of one of the pearls of Croatian football. It is the 18-year-old midfielder Lovro Chelfi, currently at the service of NK Kustošija, a team with which the Azulgrana team already knew how to do business in the past with the transfer of Senegalese defender Mika Faye in 2023.

The information of the agreement between Barcelona and NK Kustošija for Lovro Chelfi, represented by Andy Bara —agent of players such as Dani Olmo and Joan García—, was disclosed by the journalist Fabrizio Romano, who also added that the young jewel would join the lower categories of the culé club, specifically Barça Atlètic, a team that, now under the tutelage of Juliano Belletti, will see action in the Second RFEF.

Barcelona wins the bid against Premier League clubs

In this sense, the team from the Ciudad Condal would have prevailed in the contest for Chelfi against several Premier League teams, such as Brighton or Wolverhampton. A choice that, on the other hand, would have been influenced by the development capacity enjoyed by the Catalan team in its lower categories and the undeniable option of making the leap to the first team, regardless of age.

**LOVRO CHELFI 2024/25 SEASON**
TEAM	MATCHES	G	A	MIN. PLAYED
NK Kustošija	2	-	-	81'
NK Kustošija U-19	9	1	-	630'

The operation: cost and conditions of the transfer

Regarding the player's exit price, as announced in the sports newspaper SPORT, FC Barcelona would pay a total of 300,000 euros to acquire 50% of the federative rights of Lovro. From this, and in case the bet on the Croatian turns out as projected by the Azulgrana sports management, the total amount of the operation could amount to 2 M€.

In turn, the Azulgrana club would have up to two years to decide whether to buy the remaining 50% from the Croatian second division team.

Maintaining the line of argument, it is said that the issue of salary will not be a problem, since it would fall within the ranges established within the salary scale of Barça Atlètic. Likewise, the club would have already made available to the player an apartment near the Ciudad Deportiva culé, so that he is close to his place of work.

Lovro Chelfi: a player with Barça DNA

Thus, Barcelona would acquire the services of a player with the ability to perform in the attacking midfield area and who, apparently, fits into the so-called 'Barça DNA'. He is an element with an offensive profile, who moves in the last third of the field, creative, with a good one-on-one and with very good vision of the game.

He is also a player who knows how to provide pause, manages ball possession well and associates with his teammates. All attributes valued in the Azulgrana entity, which can once again boast of acquiring one of the great young talents at an international level.

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