Adrian Gill has signed a new three-year contract at FC Barcelona.
Youth academy star Adrian Gill put pen to paper on a three-year deal on Friday and announced he was “extremely proud” to sign his “first professional contract with FC Barcelona” on Instagram while that the club have also shared photos of the youngster and his father with Joan Soler and Jose Ramon Alexanco.
But who is the 16-year-old American-born caddy who wears the number 8 shirt at La Masia and for that has understandably been compared to the all-time great Andres Iniesta?
Gill was born in Denver, Colorado on January 6, 2006, but moved to Catalonia with his parents as they found work in the area.
Starting playing with local club UE Cornella which Jordi Alba once graced and resurrected his career after being released by La Masia, Gill made U-11 side Alevin A in 2017 and was scouted by Barca a year later when they spotted him and placed him in Camp Infantil B.
Gill is currently in his fourth season with the Blaugrana and has continued to improve while being one of the biggest promises in their current Cadet A side.
sport describe him as a “complete footballer” and a multi-faceted attacking midfielder “from a technical, physical and tactical point of view”.
They say Gill ‘covers a lot of ground’ with a wide stride and has excellent vision to make the final pass before the ball goes into the back of the net.
In charge of free-kicks and corners that run through his powerful right leg, he is also able to use his left with one of his strongest qualities his ability to collect balls all over the pitch.
Gill has already caught the eye of U.S. men’s national team youth categories such as the U-17s and so is set to follow in the footsteps of fellow Barca youth star and guest guest American Diego Kochen. in January at USMNT training camps.
Next season, Gill is expected to move up to the Juvenil category which is the final step between the academy and the senior first team or their reserve B counterpart.