Humphrey Bortey, the manager of Ghanaian defender Hafiz Gariba, is confident that the youngster will eventually earn a spot in FC Barcelona’s first team.
The Catalan giants recently signed Gariba on a three-year contract, a move Bortey believes is just the beginning of his rise.
Gariba, 18, first joined Barcelona’s setup in 2023 after moving from Ghanaian club Villarreal Africa. During his time at Fundación Marcet, a renowned football academy in Spain, he impressed scouts and attracted interest from multiple clubs.
However, Barcelona won the race for his signature, and he is set to join Juvenil B, with the potential to move up the ranks if he performs well.
“I’m not surprised that Hafiz has reached this level,” Bortey said in an exclusive interview with The Nerve Africa. “When we arrived in Barcelona about two and a half years ago, he told me he would play for the club one day. He’s one of the best in his position and one of the most talked-about young players in Barcelona. His hunger to succeed is immense.”
The agent firmly believes that Gariba’s talent and work ethic will take him all the way to the first team.
“I have no doubt he will eventually play for Barcelona’s senior squad. This is a young player doing incredible things. I’m very proud of him, and I know he will go even further,” Bortey added.
Gariba becomes the third Ghanaian player to join Barcelona in the past year, following David Oduro and Abdul Aziz Issah.
