Lionel Messi leaving Barcelona was the huge surprise of the summer, yet Yusuf Demir‘s performances have been second, with Ronald Koeman handing the loan signing his first-team debut on Saturday night.
During the match against Athletic Club at San Mames, Demir came off the bench to make his senior debut, becoming the youngest foreign player to play his first game for the club since Messi himself.
Demir is just 18 years and 80 days old, but he impressed in patches on debut, being introduced on the left side of attack in place of Martin Braithwaite.
Los Cules may have gotten themselves a bargain, loaning Demir in with the intention of using him with Barcelona B, negotiating a 10 million euro purchase option with Rapid Vienna.
His rapid progression has stunned the Catalan club and it makes that purchase option look like an exquisite piece of business.
Since first seeing him train, Koeman has been convinced of Demir‘s potential, and he has been further impressed by the way the pressures of such an environment haven’t taken their toll on the teenager.
