AS Roma President Tells Starlet Justin Kluivert That He'll 'Never' Be Sold to Barcelona

AS Roma president James Pallotta has told new signing Justin Kluivert that he will never sell him to Barcelona, despite teenager's recent declaration that it is a dream for him to play for La Blaugrana. 

The 19-year-old joined I Giallorossi from Eredivisie side Ajax this summer in €17.25m move, despite telling Goal in March that he wants to follow in his father Patrick's footsteps of playing at the Camp Nou.

COOPER NEILL/GettyImages

And although the winger is a new arrival at the Stadio Olimpico, president Pallotta has already ruled out a future Barcelona move for Kluivert. The Roma chief has also stated that he has high hopes for the Dutch starlet.

Pallotta was quoted by Gazzetta dello Sport, as cited by Football Italia, as saying to Kluivert in New York: "I'll give you a Lamborghini if you score thirty goals. Otherwise it's a Mercedes if you score ten, okay?

Paolo Bruno/GettyImages

"I've also read that you dream of playing for Barcelona. You know I'll never sell you to them right?"

Justin's father Patrick is currently a Barcelona club legend, having scored 122 goals in 257 appearances in all competitions for Barca in a six-year spell between 1998 and 2004.

And his son could follow in his footsteps as a footballing great, with the 19-year-old already one of Europe's top young prospects. The Dutch winger scored 10 goals last year for Ajax in 30 Eredivisie appearances, before making the move to the Serie A.

LLUIS GENE/GettyImages

Kluivert Snr had previously actually advised his son not to join Barcelona this summer, claiming that the potential move as a "step too early for him". 

Meanwhile, young Justin could make his Serie A debut next week as I Giallorossi visit Torino in Roma's opening game of the season on 19th August.