Ecuadorian prospect Josue Caicedo begins Barcelona journey after delayed arrival

Ecuadorian full-back Josue Caicedo has arrived in Catalonia to begin his Barcelona Atletic career, a month after the club announced his signing and following the resolution of administrative issues that had prevented him from travelling to Spain.

The 18-year-old was unable to join the reserve side’s pre-season preparations on 20 July because of the bureaucratic difficulties. Barcelona Atletic completed their training camp for the new season at Vall d’en Bas in Girona last Sunday, meaning Caicedo missed the group’s initial preparations.

Barcelona Atletic announced the deal on 13 July, signing Caicedo from Ecuadorian club LDU Quito on a loan agreement that includes a €2.5m option to buy. That purchase could become compulsory if a series of conditions are met.

Caicedo arrived at Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport and immediately made clear that he has ambitions well beyond simply settling into the reserve team.

“I am grateful to everyone here. I want to be a champion and stay here. My dream is to make my first-team debut with Barcelona,” he told reporters waiting for him in Barcelona.

The young defender is regarded as a player with considerable physical and technical ability. His qualities include attacking strength, agility and quick reactions, attributes that he says are also evident in his favourite Barcelona player.

“My idol at Barcelona is Balde,” Caicedo said, referring to Barcelona full-back Alejandro Balde.

The Ecuadorian also revealed that he has not yet “managed to speak with Deco”, Barcelona’s sporting director, although he said he had continued to train during the month-long wait for clearance to travel.

Despite his age, Caicedo has already made eight appearances for LDU Quito’s first team, accumulating 344 minutes. He also made his Copa Libertadores debut on 26 May against Bolivia’s Always Ready, giving him early experience of international club football.

That background has contributed to the high expectations surrounding the player at Barcelona. However, the club recognises that Caicedo will need time to adapt to life in Spain and to the demands of the Catalan style of football.

His immediate task will be to integrate into the reserve squad after missing the main part of pre-season. From there, he will look to establish himself and eventually compete for a place in Barcelona’s first team.

Caicedo’s stated ambition is to make his top-flight debut for Barcelona, but the club is expected to take a patient approach as he adjusts to a new country, a different football environment and the demands of the club’s system.