Barcelona lock onto 17-year-old Juan Riquelme Angulo after Copa UC hat-trick

Barcelona’s interest in 17-year-old Ecuadorian striker Juan Riquelme Angulo has moved from monitoring to intent. Club scouts were in the stands at the Copa UC as the Independiente del Valle No. 9 hit a ruthless hat-trick in a 5-1 win, showcasing movement, timing and penalty-box instincts. I’ve seen these looks from scouts before - silent, heads down, ticking boxes. This checks a lot of Barcelona’s boxes for a modern nine who links, presses and finishes. The Catalans have been following him for around 18 months and, after this display, momentum is firmly on the side of a formal approach.

The development unfolded at the Copa UC youth tournament, a long-running showcase in Chile that attracts elite scouts from Europe and South America. Independiente del Valle’s U17s faced a Venezuela selection and won 5-1, with Juan Riquelme Angulo scoring a hat-trick inside 40 minutes. Barcelona talent spotters attended specifically to track the Ecuadorian striker they have monitored for roughly a year and a half. IDV’s academy has a proven pathway to Europe, and the performance arrived in a competition where scouts expect high-intensity, high-variance games that stress test decision-making in tight spaces. The setting and opposition gave the viewing meaningful weight.

INFORMACIÓN 🚨🇪🇨🇪🇸 El interés del FC Barcelona por Juan Riquelme Angulo (17) es concreto, desde hace un año y medio vienen monitoreando el desarrollo del chico. Scouts del FC Barcelona están en la Copa UC siguiendo a Riquelme Angulo, donde hoy acaba de hacer un hat-trick.🌟💎

@twotrepi

Impact Analysis

From a sporting perspective, this is exactly the profile Barcelona have targeted under Deco - young, technically secure, press-ready and teachable within positional play. Riquelme Angulo’s tape from the Copa UC game shows three traits that translate fast to Europe: blind-side runs between center-back and full-back, one-touch finishes after late arrivals, and a quick first step to attack second balls. He is not just tall - he is coordinated and decisive in the box. That matters more than raw height.

At 17, a realistic pathway would be Juvenil A then a swift elevation to Barca Atletic, with cameo training blocks under the first-team staff to absorb tempo and spacing. For non-EU logistics, academy registration is straightforward, and the club can time any first-team list decisions sensibly. Financially, IDV are sophisticated sellers. Expect a structure heavy on performance add-ons and a sell-on clause. It suits both sides: Barcelona de-risks the initial outlay and IDV keeps upside.

I played with forwards who had the same early tell - the calm finish after a scramble. You can drill patterns all week, but that cold pulse in the six-yard box is hard to teach. If Barcelona commit, they are buying ceiling and mentality. With academy supply lines strong but first-team minutes scarce, the plan would be patient integration, not pressure. The fit is clean.

Reaction

Reactions split along familiar lines. Some fans dismissed the hype, calling him overrated and leaning on the old trope that his profile is just about size. That always happens when a teenager scores big in a single game - people rush to extremes. Others, especially those close to Independiente del Valle, were buzzing about the hat-trick and what it says about Ecuador’s production line. There was a broader wave of national pride too, linking IDV’s academy success to Ecuadorian players gaining global recognition.

Inside Barcelona’s community, the tone was largely optimistic. Supporters who follow youth scouting noted the club has tracked him for roughly 18 months and liked that this wasn’t a one-clip decision. Some were quick to compare him to past South American signings, urging the club to avoid overpaying and to protect a clear development path through Barca Atletic.

What cut through for me was the respect from youth analysts who’ve watched IDV all year. They highlighted his timing off the shoulder, not just the goals. That matches what I saw. The skepticism is normal, but the more technical feedback praised his habits rather than just the headline scoreline. For a 17-year-old, that’s a healthy signal.

Social reactions

Más malo ese jugador. Mejor no, la única cualidad es su estatura.

Saoco Orozco (@juancarlosoroz7)

🇪🇨 Historia pura de . Orgullo ecuatoriano.

La Tri 🇪🇨 (@LaTri)

Del Valle de los Sueños al 1️⃣1️⃣ del mundo 🌎 Felicitaciones William Pacho orgullo de la casa 𝐅𝐈𝐅𝐏𝐑𝐎 𝐁𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐗𝐈

Independiente del Valle (@IDV_EC)

Prediction

Here’s how this likely plays out. Barcelona formalize their interest once the Copa UC ends, opening dialogue with Independiente del Valle on a tiered package. Expect a modest fixed fee, appearance and development add-ons, plus a sell-on. The target would be registration with Juvenil A in the short term, then exposure to Barca Atletic after an adaptation window. Timing can align with academic and residency considerations, keeping pressure low and touch time high.

Competition is the variable. English and Portuguese clubs typically scout the Copa UC heavily. But Barcelona’s 18-month head start, the stylistic fit, and the clear pathway they can show under Deco give them an edge if they move decisively now. If talks stall, IDV are comfortable waiting for the right structure - they have leverage because the player’s value is trending up.

On the pitch, I see him projecting as a penalty-box forward who can also connect the first bounce to runners, similar to how Barcelona have used hybrid nines in youth teams. Short term - learning Spanish football’s tempo, building strength, rhythm in tight areas. Medium term - a contributor in the domestic cup and preseason tours. Long term - a first-team option if finishing and pressing volume scale. The most probable scenario is a deal agreed within months and arrival aligned with eligibility milestones.

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Conclusion

I’ve sat in enough dressing rooms to know when a young striker has the right noise around him. This feels right - not because of one hat-trick, but because of consistent tracking, the level of competition, and the fit with Barcelona’s positional demands. Independiente del Valle produces players who understand spacing and tempo. That shortens the jump across the Atlantic.

Barcelona need to keep stacking intelligent prospects who can press, combine and finish. Riquelme Angulo ticks those boxes without needing the red carpet. Let him earn his steps: Juvenil A, Barca Atletic, then select first-team exposures. Keep the ball rolling with patient minutes and clear role definition. If the club strikes early with a smart structure, everyone wins - IDV keeps pride and upside, the player gets a tailored runway, and Barcelona secure a profile that is increasingly hard to find at sane prices.

My call, based on the scouting trail and what I saw in Chile: this move has momentum. It reads like a Barcelona signing waiting to happen.