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MLS side set to push for Barcelona midfield prodigy

According to sources, the Wizards are considering the signing of the Barcelona midfielder during the transfer window.

According to sources, the Wizards are considering the signing of the Barcelona midfielder during the transfer window.
FC Barcelona/Divulgación

Using a formula similar to the one the LA Galaxy employed with Riqui Puig, Sporting Kansas City are aiming to make a statement in MLS with their new target.

According to AS, the Wizards have initiated contact with FC Barcelona to secure the signing of Unai Hernández (2004), captain of Barça B in the Primera RFEF, the third tier of Spanish football. The Catalan club is open to his departure, provided an offer meets their demands.

Kansas is placing significant importance on the midfielder’s arrival, making it one of their primary objectives for this transfer window. The club estimates that the transfer could be finalized for a fee between $2,000,000 and $4,000,000, including fixed and variable components. Moreover, Hernández would qualify for the MLS Under-23 initiative, meaning his salary would not count against the league’s imposed limits.

Clubs in Spain keen on Hernández

However, securing the midfielder’s signing will be no easy task. Spanish clubs like Alavés and Leganés have reportedly expressed interest in Hernández, though only on a loan basis and in a more informal capacity.

Kansas hold a slight advantage, as their proposal to position him as a future star of the team could sway the player and his representatives. Ultimately, though, the decision will rest with Unai himself.

Hernández’s situation is reminiscent of Riqui Puig’s a couple of summers ago. Signed from Girona in 2022, Puig had a meteoric rise at Barça, progressing from the Under-19s to regularly training with the first team in just one year. Part of the same generation as Fermín López, Gavi, and Marc Casadó, Hernández has struggled to establish himself under Flick, unlike his peers.

Feeling ready to take the leap to senior football, Hernández is considering his options, including opportunities abroad. Moving across the Atlantic to the MLS could be an appealing choice, particularly given Riqui Puig’s successful transition.

The Catalan midfielder joined the LA Galaxy on a free transfer after a tumultuous end to his time at Barça. Since then, his value has surged, and according to Transfermarkt, Puig is now worth €20 million, nearly tripling his value in under two seasons.

Puig (right) was arguably the best player in MLS for the 2024 season.
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Puig (right) was arguably the best player in MLS for the 2024 season.Jayne Kamin-OnceaUSA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con

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