FC Barcelona have announced the loan signing of 18-year-old Ecuadorian left-sided player Josue Caicedo from LDU Quito, with the deal reportedly set to see the teenager join Barça Atlètic for the 2026–27 season. Mundo Deportivo has reported that the operation has been completed and announced by the club.
The deal reportedly sees Caicedo arrive on a season-long loan, with Barcelona having an option to sign him permanently for approximately €2.5 million at the end of the arrangement. Caicedo joined LDU Quito in 2025 and has spent some time with the Ecuadorian club before the move.
Earlier reports indicated that an agreement was close, and the club’s announcement aligns the transfer with other recent B-team additions this summer window.
Caicedo is a left-sided player who can operate as a fullback or on the wing – a profile that suits the demands Juliano Belletti places on his Barça Atlètic squad. Attributes such as his strength, attacking ability, and change of pace have been noted in relation to the club’s interest.
The Ecuadorian is expected to fill the left-flank role at Barça Atlètic, a position previously held by Jofre Torrents, whose future at the club is uncertain. Barcelona considers regular senior minutes important for Torrents’ development and is reportedly looking for a loan move for him.
The signing fits the operational logic Barcelona has applied consistently to Barça Atlètic recruitment this summer. Similar loan structures with purchase options have been used for other B-team targets, keeping financial exposure low while preserving the club’s right to retain players who develop as expected. The Caicedo deal – a loan with a €2.5 million buy option – is a straightforward application of that template to a South American prospect.
Caicedo is among several young international arrivals the club has moved on this summer, joining Egyptian forward Hamza Abdelkarim among the confirmed additions to the wider Barcelona setup. A deal for Jesse Bisiwu from Club Brugge has also been reported as agreed, though that move was not yet officially confirmed at the time of writing. The Caicedo announcement brings one more piece of the B-team’s left-side planning into place ahead of the new campaign.