Barcelona’s long-term plan for developing young players was the decisive factor behind Jesse Bissio’s move to the Spanish club, according to the 18-year-old Belgian winger’s representative Mobinde Marthi.
Barcelona announced in recent days that Bissio had signed a contract running until 30 June 2031. He is the fourth attacking addition made by the club this summer, following the arrivals of Anthony Gordon, Hamza Abdulkarim and Karim Adeyemi.
Marthi said negotiations gave him and his client a clear indication of Barcelona’s commitment to developing emerging talent.
“Barcelona presented us with a project that shows the club’s commitment to developing young players. The club’s commitment and its strong record in developing talent are the best evidence of that,” he told Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo.
The agent said Bissio’s priority throughout the discussions was to assess every aspect of the different projects put before him, while ensuring that his long-term future remained central to the decision.
“The priority was to ensure that all aspects of the different projects presented to him were carefully assessed, with his long-term future put first,” Marthi said.
He added that the choice had not been determined by one consideration alone. Instead, Bissio wanted to find the environment most likely to support both his footballing progress and his development away from the pitch.
“The decision was not based on one factor, but on finding the best environment to support his development, both as a footballer and as a young man,” said Marthi.
The representative also paid tribute to Club Brugge, where Bissio developed before completing his move to Barcelona. Marthi said the Belgian club had played an important part in the winger’s career and acknowledged the contribution of everyone involved in his progress over recent years.
“Jesse Bissio has developed significantly at Club Brugge. We are very grateful to the club and to everyone who contributed to his development over the past few years and helped him reach this stage of his football career,” he said.
Bissio’s immediate focus is now on adapting to life at his new club and making the most of the opportunity, according to his agent.
“He is now fully focused on working hard every day, integrating into the club in the best possible way and doing everything he can for Barcelona,” Marthi added.
The signing is part of a renewed strategy at Barcelona centred on recruiting promising young players. The club’s aim is to build a new generation capable of competing for domestic and European honours in the coming years.
