Jesse Bissio chose Barcelona after being impressed by club’s commitment to youth, says agent

Moubindie Marthe, the agent of teenage Belgium winger Jesse Bissio, says Barcelona’s sporting project was the decisive factor behind his client’s move to the Spanish club.

Barcelona officially announced Bissio’s signing in recent days, with the 18-year-old agreeing a contract that runs until 30 June 2031. He is the fourth attacking addition made by the club this summer, following Anthony Gordon, Hamza Abdelkarim and Karim Adeyemi.

Marthe said Barcelona’s approach during negotiations demonstrated a clear commitment to developing young players.

“Barcelona presented us with a project that shows the club’s commitment to developing young talent. The club’s commitment and its outstanding 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 each option carefully, with his long-term future at the centre of the decision-making process.

“His priority was to ensure that all aspects of the different projects presented to him were carefully evaluated, while putting his long-term future first,” Marthe said.

He added that Bissio’s decision was not based on a single consideration, but on finding the right environment for his progress both on and off 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,” he said.

Bissio began his development with Belgian club Club Brugge, who Marthe credited with playing a major part in the player’s progress.

“Jesse Bissio has developed significantly at Club Brugge. We are extremely 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,” the agent said.

Bissio will now turn his attention to settling into life at Barcelona and establishing himself within the club’s system.

“His entire focus is now on working hard every day, integrating into the club in the best possible way and doing everything he can for Barcelona,” Marthe added.

The signing is part of a renewed Barcelona strategy focused on recruiting promising young players and building a new generation capable of competing for domestic and European honours in the coming years.

The Catalan club’s decision to agree a deal lasting until 2031 underlines the long-term nature of its plans for Bissio. His arrival also adds to an attacking group that has already been strengthened by Gordon, Abdelkarim and Adeyemi during the current summer transfer window.

According to Marthe, however, the project offered by Barcelona stood apart from the other opportunities considered by the player. The club’s record of helping young talent develop, combined with its plans for Bissio’s future, ultimately convinced him that the move was the right step in his career.