Joao Mendes, son of the legendary Brazilian striker Ronaldinho, is set to sign with English Championship side Burnley.
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Joao Mendes near Burnley move
Mendes, 19, will arrive at Turf Moor after spending last season in Barcelona’s academy.
Burnley head coach Scott Parker confirmed that Mendes will sign a two-year deal with the club.
Parker also said he understands the hype behind the signing, but insists that Burnley will focus on Mendes’ development.
“Nothing has been officially done at this moment in time, there’s something there for sure. We see him as a development player and a project but the paperwork has not been signed yet,” he said.
“I get the excitement but I think it would be unfair to heap pressure on a young boy. He’s coming here in a sense of development is how we see it.
“I get the excitement with the links to his father. Hopefully he comes in but there is a lot to do, different culture, different way of doing things, so I would probably dampen [that excitement] down a bit.”
Ronaldhino’s legacy
Mendes followed his father’s footsteps by joining Barcelona’s youth academy in 2023.
Ronaldinho established himself as one of Brazil’s legendary football players.
The 43-year-old helped the country win the 2002 World Cup.
He won the Ballon d’Or in 2005, and won LaLiga twice with Barcelona and the Champions League in 2006.
Aside from Barcelona, Ronaldinho also had stints with Gremio, Paris Saint-Germain, AC Milan, Flamengo and, Atletico Mineiro.
