Bayer Leverkusen have completed the signing of defender Andrea Natali from Spanish giants Barcelona.
The Italian defender has penned a 3-year deal with the Bay Arena side, which runs until June 30, 2027.
Barcelona will apparently receive a compensation fee of €1 million, according to transfer guru, Fabrizio Romano.
The Sporting Director Of Bayer Leverkusen Spoke Highly Of Andrea Natali
Bayer Leverkusen’s sporting director, Simon Rolfes, had great words to say about the youth international of Italy.
Rolfes expressed that the 16-year-old has “all the qualities needed” to play an important role at the Bundesliga champions in the future.
Speaking about the defender, Simon Rolfes said: “Andrea Natali was a highly attractive prospect and much sought-after player this summer as a U17 European Championship winner with Italy.
“We are very happy he has made the decision to join Bayer 04. He potentially has all the qualities needed to play a significant role in our Werkself in the future.”
Andrea Natali
Natali was born on January 28, 2008, in Milan and he represented Italy at the 2024 Under-17 European Championship, helping the young Azzurri win the tournament.
Andrea Natali’s market value has not been defined by Transfermkt, but he is a youngster expected to do exploits in the coming years.
The 16-year-old is the son of retired defender Cesare Natali, who played for top Italian teams like Atalanta, Bologna, Udinese, Torino, and Sassuolo.
Andrea Natali started his football journey with the youth teams of AC Milan and Espanyol, before moving to the La Masia youth setup of Barcelona, where he played for the cadet team of the side.
The talented young footballer also featured for the Under 16 and Under 18 teams of the Catalan-based club.
Natali joins Bayer Leverkusen, a haven for youngsters who are looking to develop and better their craft.
Xabi Alonso And Bayer Leverkusen In The 2023/24 Season
Many are aware of the club’s successes in recent years, particularly under the tutelage of Xabi Alonso.
Alonso tactically masterminded Bayer Leverkusen to an unbeaten domestic season, guiding the club to the German Bundesliga and DFB-POKAL title.
The Leverkusen-based club ended the season with 90 points from 34 matches, winning 28 matches, drawing 6 and losing 0.
Xabi Alonso utilized the services of many youngsters last term and he is still expected to use more to prosecute matches in the coming campaign, as they hunt for a back-to-back Bundesliga crown.
They were just a final defeat away from clinching the treble – Bundesliga, DFB-POKAL, and UEFA Europa League, with Atalanta thwarting that dream.
Bayer Leverkusen will regroup for the coming season, and they have some preparatory preseason fixtures to play.
Xabi Alonso’s side have a game against German third-tier side, RW Essen, on July 26, 2024, before battling French side RC Lens on August 3, 2024.
They culminate their preseason engagement with a clash against English giants Arsenal on August 7, 2024.
Bayer Leverkusen go up against VFB Stuttgart, on August 17, 2024, in the curtain raiser for the 2024/25 German Bundesliga campaign – the Super Cup.
It will be fascinating to see if they can equally reach magnificent heights in the upcoming season.
