Barcelona have moved ahead of Paris Saint-Germain in the chase for highly-coveted England teenage striker Louie Barry.
The 16-year-old left West Bromwich Albion this week after rejecting their offer of a professional contract and French champions PSG were considered favourites for his signature.
However, the teenager was spotted with his parents and representatives leaving the Sofia hotel in Barcelona on Saturday following talks with the Spanish giants.
Barry is one of the brightest talents for his age group in the country.
He has been at West Brom since the age of six and was tipped to make the step up to their first team. Yet his performances for Albion and England have caught the attention of scouts from across Europe’s elite clubs.
Last year he scored ten goals in five games for England U15s during a tournament in Italy.
A move abroad would leave Albion with around £235,000 in compensation.
An increasing number of England based teenagers are opting to move abroad with Barry’s England teammates Jamal Musiala and Bright Arrey-Mbi both leaving Chelsea recently to join Bayern Munich.
Sportsmail understands PSG offered a great financial package for Barry but Barcelona’s football project was a huge pull for the player and his family.