Barcelona Transfer News: Latest on Robert Navarro's Exit Rumours

Manchester City have reportedly already made an offer to Barcelona youngster Robert Navarro, who will turn 16 on April 12 and will be free to join whichever club he wants.

According to Sport's Albert Roge, the Catalans have yet to make their offer to the highly rated teenager, who wants to know what their plans are for him before he commits to a new deal.

City are said to be favourites for his signature, while Juventus, AS Monaco and Arsenal are also monitoring the situation.

According to Roge, a meeting between the player and club is set to take place in the coming days.

Manu Fernandez/Associated Press

For years, Barcelona's vaunted La Masia academy was the lifeblood of the senior squad, but the talent pipeline has dried up in recent times. The players that have progressed into the first team, like Munir El Haddadi and Sergi Samper, have had little impact and might not have much of a future at the Camp Nou.

Instead of relying on their talents, Barcelona have prioritised the transfer market, spending vast sums of money on new players. Last summer, Ousmane Dembele was brought in to replace Neymar, and in January, Philippe Coutinho was added to the mix.

Navarro, an attacking midfielder, is one of the top talents in the academy. He's been nicknamed Robertinho by some, due to his dribbling skills and the flair he plays with.

He's at his best when he has the freedom to take risks in and near the box, resulting in stunning goals like this one:

Like Abel Ruiz, a star striker, Navarro is expected to achieve great things. But lately, more and more of the club's prospects have tried their luck elsewhere.

Adama Traore, Alejandro Grimaldo, Gerard Gumbau and Jordi Mboula are a few examples of players who were on the verge of breaking through at the Camp Nou, only to move to a different club.

It's a worrying trend for a side that enjoyed the greatest run in club history with a core of academy graduates, including Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets, Andres Iniesta and Xavi Hernandez.

The exodus cannot continue, and Barcelona have to do what they can to keep hold of Navarro. If they don't, he'll be yet another star talent who decided his career would be best served elsewhere, and that can't be good for the team's reputation as a top destination for youngsters.