Barcelona 'in advanced talks' to sign 17 years old prodigy Ze Lucas

Barcelona are closing in on 17-year-old Ze Lucas from Sport Recife, with the Brazilian club rejecting offers of over £11m.

Sport Recife are going through a turbulent season. Despite winning the Pernambuco state championship, the club have had a dreadful start in the Brasileirao - firing two managers and earning just three points in 11 matches, leaving them at the bottom of the table.

Even so, the Recife side has managed to unveil a gem now coveted by European giants: 17-year-old midfielder Ze Lucas.

Seen as a key player for the rubro-negro squad in Serie A, the Pernambuco club’s rising star has attracted attention from overseas clubs, who have already made offers of around €12.5m (approximately £11m) - a figure exceeding the largest transfer in Sport Recife’s history: the €10m (approximately £8.5m) deal that sent Pedro Lima to Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2024. However, the club rejected those offers.

Despite this initial refusal, Spanish newspaper Marca reported on Tuesday that the midfielder is in advanced talks with Barcelona. According to the report, negotiations “have progressed significantly in recent weeks and a positive outcome is expected soon.”

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Who is Ze Lucas, Sport Recife’s prodigy?

Ze Lucas’s rise began in 2025, when he made his senior debut for Sport Recife. His first professional match came in January during the state championship, when then-coach Pepa selected players from the Under-20 squad against Afogados.

His debut came nine years after joining the club in 2016. Ze Lucas began in Sport Recife’s futsal programme at age eight. On the court, he played from under-9 to under-17 levels, often competing above his age group, and achieved success: winning the Taca Brasil at under-13 and under-15 levels.

Between ages 11 and 15, he split his time between futsal and football, before focusing solely on football with the dream of becoming a professional.

Since being called up by Pepa, Ze Lucas has stood out for his defensive qualities, including a high number of tackles. For example, in the Copa do Nordeste match against Fortaleza, he earned praise even from coach Juan Pablo Vojvoda, who described him as “a player with personality and good technique.”

In Serie A, the midfielder - who also represented Brazil at under-17 level - was regularly used by Pepa and later during Antonio Oliveira’s brief tenure. Ze Lucas featured in games against Bragantino, Corinthians, Fortaleza, Fluminense, Cruzeiro, Ceara, Internacional, and Mirassol.

Ze Lucas on the radar of Barcelona and other European clubs

His performances have caught the eye of scouts both in Brazil and abroad. Representatives from the City Football Group attended some of his matches for Sport Recife, as did the technical manager of the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF), Juan, which led to a call-up for the under-17 national team.

The midfielder was part of the squad that won the South American championship in his age group, where he captained the team and scored the equaliser against Colombia, and was called up for friendlies against Ecuador.

With interest from Barcelona and other European clubs, Sport Recife decided to extend the prodigy’s contract until April 2028. According to ge Pernambuco, the club offered him a salary increase and raised his release clause from R$50m to R$100m (from £7.5m to £15m) for Brazilian clubs. For foreign clubs, the clause remains at €50m (around £44m).

This article was originally published on Trivela.