Gerónimo Spina – A player to watch?

Commentary by Mundo Albiceleste subscriber Guille06.

According to reports, youth prospect Gerónimo Spina is on the verge of joining FC
Barcelona from Atlético Madrid B (source: barcauniversal.com). The 20-year-old
Argentine is primarily playing as a left-footed central defender and is said to be one of the
most promising talents in Atlético Madrid’s youth setup. Therefore, it seems worth
discussing his perspectives in regard to his new club and his potential role Argentina’s
national team.

Spina’s career so far

Spina embodies the profile of a complete, modern defender—with tactical awareness,
ball-progression ability, physical strength, and aerial prowess. He joined Atlético’s U19
team from Estudiantes de La Plata in July 2023. He quickly became a standout player
and, under Fernando Torres, the team was crowned campeón de Liga and won the Copa
de Campeones. He also featured in several UEFA Youth League matches (the U19
equivalent of the UEFA Champions League) and made a few appearances for Atlético
Madrid B in the Primera Federación – Grupo II (Spain’s third division). Last season, he
was permanently promoted to Atlético Madrid B, where he made 21 appearances in the
Primera Federación – Grupo II and 7 in the UEFA Youth League. He was also called up for
2 Champions League matches and 1 LaLiga fixture by Diego Simeone, though he has yet
to make his senior debut.

Notably, Diego Placente nominated him for two back-to-back friendly matches against
Bolivia in November 2024. He played 90 minutes in the first match—a 1:4 win for
Argentina—but did not see any game time in the second (a 0:4 win). He ultimately did not
feature in Argentina’s squad that finished second at the U20 CONMEBOL Championship
in early 2025. Tobías Ramírez (18, Argentinos Juniors), Juan Giménez (18, Rosario Central),
Valente Pierani (18, Estudiantes II), and Juan Villalba (18, Gimnasia) were all chosen
ahead of him.

Spina’s prospects in Barcelona

A move to FC Barcelona could be a significant boost to Spina’s career. In recent years,
Barcelona’s famed youth academy has undergone a renaissance and has developed
some promising talents. Given Spina’s inexperience at senior level, he is likely being
signed primarily as reinforcement for Barça Atlètic. After being relegated to the 4th tier of
Spanish football last season, Barça Atlètic has seen notable departures across the
squad. For Spina, this would represent a short-term step down, after having already made
a name for himself in the 3rd division.

A quick look at the recent Argentine defensive talents in La Masia offers a mixed
perspective. Santiago Ramos Mingo joined Barcelona from Boca Juniors at a young age
but failed to establish himself long-term; at 23, he now plays for EC Bahia in Brazil after
impressing at Defensa y Justicia. Román Vega was loaned to Barça Atlètic from
Argentinos Juniors II for the 2022–23 season; his time in Barcelona was brief but still
helped his career. In July 2025, the 21-year-old secured a transfer to Zenit St. Petersburg
in Russia for a reported fee of €7.7 million.

Overall, this might not project much confidence in Spina’s perspective at first. However,
in a very recent development, first team main stay Iñigo Martínez is close to completing
a transfer to Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia, leaving Pau Cubarsí, Andreas Christensen, Ronald
Araújo, and the versatile Eric García in central defence. Given Barcelona’s financial
constraints, further signings seem unlikely—so a place in the first team for Spina may be
within reach. Hansi Flick has shown considerable trust in young players. Especially last
season, many Atlètic players were called up to training sessions with the first team and
recently featured in FC Barcelona’s squad for the pre-season tour in Asia. A fact that
inspires hope for Spina, even though his short-term perspective might look less favorable.

Implications for La Albiceleste

Barcelona, hopefully, has a long-term plan for Spina. With Cubarsí likely to become a
fixture in the first team, there remains an open slot for a second central defender.
Standing at 1.87 m, Spina would bring aerial strength and complement the young Cubarsí
well. If Spina continues to develop, he might eventually surpass some current first-team
options since the only defender with a similar well-rounded profile is Christensen.

Furthermore, Christensen and Araújo have been injury prone over the past seasons,
which could prompt Flick to give the young Argentine an opportunity—sometimes, all it
takes is that chance. After all, Cubarsí, Alejandro Baldé, and Araújo all successfully
transitioned from Barça Atlètic to the senior team when presented with the opportunity.
With many variables at play, it’s unlikely that Spina will make an immediate impact for
Barcelona’s first team. His immediate priority should be achieving his first senior-level
appearances. His peers—Ramírez (Argentinos Juniors), Giménez (Rosario Central), and
Villalba (Gimnasia)—have already played at senior level, with Ramírez and Giménez
having established themselves. Their market values are reportedly €4 million and €3
million, respectively. Additionally, Giménez has recently been linked with a move to
Borussia Dortmund.

Regarding La Albiceleste, any of the defenders mentioned would be valuable additions in
the future, if they continue their development. While Nico Paz, Claudio Echeverri, and
Franco Mastantuono appear to be the future of Argentina’s midfield and attack, the
spotlight for defensive talents is yet to be filled. The most promising defender currently
seems to be Kevin Lomónaco (23, Independiente), who featured in Scaloni’s match-day
squad against Chile (a 0:1 win) in May. This is not unusual, as defenders often mature later
and eventually gain the recognition they deserve.

The upcoming U20 World Cup in Chile this November may help clarify matters and
perhaps reveal Argentina’s next defensive prodigy.