Barcelona transfer news: Who is Eduardo Conceicao, the latest Brazilian gem on the Blaugrana's radar?

Brazilian forward Eduardo Conceicao, of Palmeiras, has caught the attention of Barcelona following his standout performances at the 2026 Copa Sao Paulo de Futebol Junior, though the Catalan club had already been monitoring him before the tournament kicked off.

In December, Barcelona took a step beyond technical scouting and held meetings with Eduardo’s representatives, signalling formal interest in the 16-year-old forward, according to Spanish newspaper Sport.

Meetings in Barcelona signal formal interest

? FC Barcelona are closely monitoring Eduardo Conceiçao (16), who has "revolutionized Brazilian football" at the start of 2026. The forward has scored four goals, and provided three assists so far in the Copinha. Conceiçao could make the jump to Europe in 2028, when he turns 18.… pic.twitter.com/yJ4QB4xkbM

— barcacentre (@barcacentre) January 14, 2026

Wearing the number 10 shirt for Palmeiras during the tournament, Eduardo stood out individually despite being the youngest in the squad. His quarter-final exit did little to diminish his impact, with goals, assists and offensive versatility catching the eye of European scouts present in São Paulo.

His agents visited the Ciutat Esportiva de Sant Joan Despi in December, meeting Joao Amaral, head of Barcelona’s scouting department, and club sporting director Deco. The meeting was not an immediate negotiation but served to align expectations. Barcelona made it clear they would follow the forward’s development closely and were informed that he would sign his first professional contract with Palmeiras upon turning 16, valid until January 2029.

The contract signing was crucial for Palmeiras. Without it, the club had not registered Eduardo for last year’s Copinha to avoid risks in a tournament heavily exposed to the international market.

High release clause protects Palmeiras

Next Brazilian Gem is here. Eduardo Conceição (16) ?? at Palmeiras. He just scored 4 goals and had 3 assists. Good lord. He is wearing the no.10 jersey. Just watch him play pic.twitter.com/TVIa2aKEgG

— Moby (@Mobyhaque1) January 9, 2026

As with their other top prospects, Palmeiras set a high release clause, around €100m (£87m). Any future move will therefore require direct negotiation with the club’s board, led by Leila Pereira.

Despite the direct contact, Barcelona does not plan immediate action, similar to other recent talents like Endrick and Estevao. Eduardo will only be eligible to move to Europe in January 2028 upon reaching adulthood, and the Catalan club sees him as a medium-term investment within a financially cautious framework.

Internally, the view is that Eduardo must progress with Palmeiras’ Under-20 team and convert his potential into consistent performance against stronger opponents. The Copinha was a showcase, not a final destination.

However, competition is expected to grow. Premier League clubs remain attentive to the South American market and often act aggressively when identifying early-stage talents. This happened with Luis Guilherme, who left Palmeiras for West Ham in 2024.

Beyond on-field development, Eduardo and his team will also have to manage expectations and external pressure. As Sport revealed, Barcelona is observing, taking notes, and planning ahead.

This article was originally published on Trivela.