Barcelona legend Ronaldinho confirmed earlier today that his son Joao Mendes will sign for Barca after undergoing a series of trials with the Catalans.
Here's a brief profile on the youngster Barca are about to sign for La Masia.
Age. Joao is just 17. His age shows he has time to grow. But the Brazilian doesn't have all the time in the world - players like Gavi and Ansu Fati broke into the Barca first team at that age.
Playing position. Joao is a striker. He prefers to play as a number 9 or as a supporting striker.
Former team. Joao recently had his contract with Cruzeiro's under-19 team terminated. Thus he can join Barca for free.
Playing style. From what we've seen so far Joao is a physical player who is good with the ball at his feet. We can't call him a brilliant dribbler like his father but like most Brazilians, his passing range and technical skills are already evident.
Physical attributes. Joao is already bigger than most kids his age. He stands 1.78m tall - almost the same height as his father (1.82m).
Ronaldinho and his son Joao
Is he any good for Barca? Joao is certainly good enough to make it into the Barca youth team. However, his performance will tell if he makes it into the senior team. For now, he hasn't shown anything to prove that he's good enough to play for Barcelona. Brazil did not take him to the ongoing under-20 South American Youth Championship which begs the question.
