Joao Mendes, the 19-year-old son of Brazilian football legend Ronaldinho, is on the verge of completing a surprising move to Burnley. Mendes, who joined Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy in 2023 after a stint with Cruzeiro in Brazil, is expected to sign a two-year deal with the Championship side.

Despite showing promise, Mendes struggled for game time at Barcelona, leading to his contract expiring in June. He was recently spotted holding a Burnley kit, sparking excitement among fans. However, Burnley manager Scott Parker has described Mendes as a “project” player, emphasizing the need to manage expectations and give him time to develop, rather than thrusting him immediately into the first team.

Mendes, who boasts a significant Instagram following, made his Barcelona debut in a friendly against Manchester United. While the young player has a lot to prove, his father, Ronaldinho, enjoyed a glittering career, winning the Ballon d’Or in 2005 and lifting numerous titles, including the World Cup in 2002.

Here is the skill highlight video of Joao Mendes.

Burnley performance and stats

Burnley is currently 1st in the Championship with 6 points.

It has a positive goal difference after scoring 9 goals and conceding 1.​

Burnley will play the next match in Championship against Sunderland on Saturday 24th of August in Sunderland. The prediction is Burnley winning the match.