GOAL - James Westwood

Marc Jurado has confirmed his Barcelona departure on social media amid reports of an impending move to Manchester United.

Jurado has spent the last nine years working his way through the ranks of Barca's famed La Masia academy, and he was offered the chance to extend his stay at the club earlier this summer.

However, the 16-year-old defender opted against committing his future to the Blaugrana, with United reportedly set to secure his services once they pay a small compensation fee of £1.3 million ($1.6m).

        View this post on Instagram                   Gracias/Gràcies @fcbarcelona 🔵🔴 A post shared by MJ2🦍 (@marcjurado04) on Jun 29, 2020 at 9:00am PDT

Jurado has written a message to his followers on Instagram explaining his decision, while thanking Barca for giving him the platform to begin his footballing journey.

He said: “It’s never easy to leave a team that has given you everything. FC Barcelona has been my second home, my second family, where I have developed as a player and as a person

“Today it’s time to say goodbye, but not before expressing my gratitude to each of the people who have helped me since I started in the prebenjamín in the year 2011.

“I have been lucky to share my passion with a fantastic generation, with which I will always be linked.

“We started as boys who just wanted to run after a ball and I say goodbye, nine years later, calling them friends. Only we know the immense luck we have had with all the coaches who have developed us and helped us to keep fulfilling our dreams.

“Every stage has a beginning and an end. Mine, having reflected a lot with my family, has come. I leave behind unforgettable memories which will always stay with me.”

Jurado has been a regular in Barca's Cadet A side this season, and was being groomed to make the step up to the Juvenil B set-up.

Camp Nou officials were eager to tie the talented teenager down to a new long-term agreement, but his head appears to have been turned by the prospect of playing in the Premier League.

Barca have lost a number of promising academy stars in recent years, with Ansu Fati and Riqui Puig the only players to have forced their way into the senior set-up at Camp Nou.

Both men earned a place in Quique Setien's line-up for the club's latest outing against Celta Vigo on Saturday, which ended in a 2-2 draw.