Who is Roony Bardghji? 'Swedish Messi' set to join Lamine Yamal's Barcelona from Copenhagen, says Fabrizio Romano | 10 FACTS

Barcelona are close to signing Swedish youngster Roony Bardghji from Copenhagen, noted football journalist Fabrizio Romano said on Monday.

 

According to Romano’s post on X, 19-year-old Bardghji—often referred to as the "Swedish Messi"—could join the La Liga champions in July, as the remaining details of the agreement are expected to be finalized in the coming days.

 

Premier League sides Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur were among several teams tracking Roony Bardghji in recent times. United, in particular, were said to be serious about securing the teenager ever since Copenhagen celebrated a famous UEFA Champions League win against Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United, in which Bardghji scored a stellar 87th-minute winner.

 

He would have been a great fit for the system the Red Devils are trying to cultivate, which focuses on signing promising teenagers expected to become valuable assets in the years to come. However, Barcelona now appears to have hijacked the deal—opening up the exciting possibility of linking Lamine Yamal with Nico Williams and Roony Bardghji.

 

Here are a 10  things Barcelona fans would love to know about the youngster linked to their side:

 

1. Roony Bardghji was born to Syrian parents in Kuwait in 2005. The youngster is eligible to represent Kuwait, Syria, and Sweden, though he is yet to make his senior international debut. However, he has already represented the Nordic nation at both U17 (five goals in six matches) and U21 levels (two goals in eight matches).

 

2. Roony was seven years old when he moved to Sweden—a turning point in his life. After playing for a couple of amateur clubs, he joined Malmö in 2019 at the age of 14. He was so good that the club immediately placed him in their Under-19 team. Despite being the youngest in the squad, he made a quick impact.

 

3. It took only a year for Copenhagen to snatch Roony from Malmö. According to reports, the Danish powerhouse was so impressed by the youngster’s potential that they offered an unbelievable sum that reportedly “broke all the unofficial rules when it came to transferring a player so young.”

 

4. And so began Roony’s rise to become known as "the Swedish Messi." Copenhagen offered him the limelight to fully showcase his skillset. At just 16 years and two weeks old, he became the youngest goalscorer in Danish top-flight history in 2021—shortly after being promoted to Copenhagen’s senior team.

 

5. Although he is effective anywhere in the attacking third, the right wing is his preferred position. A naturally left-footed player who isn’t lacking with his weaker foot either, Bardghji enjoys cutting inside and scoring. He is intelligent, dangerous on the ball, and a serious threat from set-pieces—capable of scoring screamers from well outside the box.

 

6. Soon, Chelsea, Barcelona, and Bayern Munich began tracking him, and Mallorca even made an official bid. However, given the sum Copenhagen had spent to sign Roony from Malmö—and his immense potential—the Danish club set a valuation well above the Spanish side’s budget. Reports of La Liga interest resurfaced in the January transfer window, but no deal materialized.

 

7. Roony had made his intentions clear: his future was not in Scandinavia. His current contract expires in December, and his market value is estimated between £8 million and £11.5 million. Barcelona manager Hansi Flick and sporting director Deco have been on the lookout for a left-footed winger for some time, and it appears the Swedish prodigy has convinced them that their search can end here.

 

8. Barcelona are also in advanced talks with Nico Williams, and if the Basque winger arrives at Camp Nou, Roony Bardghji could face stiff competition for a starting spot. Lamine Yamal prefers to operate on the right wing, while Raphinha is in stellar form up front. The arrival of Nico Williams could further crowd the left flank. However, Flick should be pleased to have such an abundance of talent at his disposal—making squad rotation not just necessary, but exciting.

 

9. Last year, Bardghji suffered a serious knee injury during training which kept him out of action for most of the season. He is back to his best once again and is about to set out for bigger things.

 

10. Roony Bardghji loves photography so much that he carries a small camera in his pocket. Catalonia is beautiful and there is no reason why his hobby should take wings along with his footballing career with Barcelona!

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