When a 19-year-old appears in Barcelona's preseason under the orders of Hansi Flick, the lights come on. Álex González, a winger from the Damm honour division, has quietly slipped in among the talents the German coach is examining ahead of the season, and his first impressions are more than promising. It's no accident: this young man has numbers that don't lie and a mentality that, according to those around him, is both serious and clear.

From Damm to the senior Barcelona team

Until recently, Álex González played for the beer company's reserve team, where he was the division's leading scorer with 12 goals. To that he added five more goals wearing the Barcelona shirt after arriving almost at the close of last season. Coming from a humble family in Piera, the winger saw this signing as the opportunity of his life. And with good reason: when you're offered the chance to play for Barça, according to mundodeportivo.com, the Piera native didn't hesitate for a second.

The contract that ties him to the club is with the reserve team, valid until June 2028. But that doesn't mean he has to wait patiently in the shadows. The German coach is giving him real opportunities to prove his worth with the senior team, and in his first preseason friendly he already showed that he has something special.

A debut that promises great things

In the friendly against CE Europa, Álex González came on in the second half and made his mark immediately. He provided an assist to Ebrima Tunkara that sealed the 3-1, and then he himself closed out the rout with a goal taking advantage of a pass from Toni Fernández. The final score was 4-1, but what matters is that the young winger came on, saw and conquered without any complexes.

He's not the typical debutant overwhelmed by pressure. According to those who know him well, he's a man of few words, who listens, who absorbs advice and above all performs on the pitch. His younger sister also excels in sport, in her case in skating, so the competitive spirit undoubtedly runs in the family.

A versatile winger with a goal touch

What's interesting is that Álex González is not a typical winger. Although he's right-footed, he can play comfortably on either flank, which makes him hugely versatile in Flick's system. His catalogue of qualities includes:

• Ability to beat a man in one-on-one situations
• Notable speed
• Good decision-making
• Unusual goalscoring ability for a wide player
• Mastery of free kicks (direct, indirect and corners)

At Damm he was responsible for taking all the free kicks, which indicates technique and self-confidence that is uncommon in a teenager. His performances there attracted the interest of several clubs, but when he was offered the Barcelona option, the path was clear.

England trip on the horizon?

Now, after impressing on his debut with the senior team, Álex González has every chance of being on Flick's list announced this Monday for the England training camp. It's not certain, but the signs are positive. In a team being rebuilt under the German coach's direction, a young man with hunger, versatility and already with goals in his veins is precisely the type of profile Flick will want to have close by.

The question is not whether this young man has a future at Barcelona, but how long it will take him to definitively convince his coach that he deserves more minutes with the senior side.