Exciting young star Hafiz Gariba is making waves at Barcelona currently and is already being tipped to make it into the first-team at Catalunya.
The 19-year-old center-back is enjoying life with Juliano Belletti’s Barcelona Atletic but his first coach, José Luis Gallardo, says he doesn’t think it will be long before he’s moving up to the senior squad.
“Hafiz is a diamond, if he is not unlucky with injuries he is a first division player for sure and I am convinced that he will be worth at least 30 million. I think Barça is a perfect club for Hafiz. His point of improvement is the tactical aspect and he is already making progress there,” he told Diario Sport.
“Gerard Martín is a good example, he is playing at a spectacular level and I think Hafiz has better natural conditions, he is electric, he has a gift, he is super agile and fast as well as a very competitive mentality, I see him very happy at Barça, he is very focused and it is a matter of time before he goes up.”
Gallardo also spoke a little more about the teenager and offered some insight into what he’s like both on and off the pitch.
“As a centre-back I would have liked to have had his qualities, he is tall, super strong, extremely powerful and very, very fast, he is explosive, more complete is impossible,” he added.
“I will always be a parakeet but I was very happy for him, in addition to his enormous footballing qualities he is a charming boy, with a fantastic education, he is very humble and a great person, I wish him the best.
“On the pitch he transforms, he is a competitive beast and what amazes me is his speed, I have never seen anything like it, he is extremely fast.”
The teenager was part of the Barca Atletic side that beat Utebo 2-1 on Saturday to continue their great form at the start of the season.