The saga developing between Barcelona and Boca Juniors regarding Ramos Mingo Barcelona The 18-year-old is a free agent

Barcelona have been determined in their attempts to sign Boca Juniors' promising centre-back Santiago Ramos Mingo, but they have made the Argentine club anxious in doing so.

The defender has just turned 18 years old and, given that he hasn't signed a professional contract with Boca, he is free to leave the club, so long as the team he joins pays his training fees.

At Boca, they are annoyed with the way that Barcelona have pushed to sign Ramos Mingo without getting in touch with the club to open negotiations.

In fact, a call at the highest level of both clubs was made, although an agreement was not reached.

Thus, Boca still hope to keep hold of Ramos Mingo, yet other sources have told MARCA that his move to Barcelona is done.

Should the centre-back make the switch to Catalonia, with Jose Mari Bakero making the recommendation for his signing, the anxious nature at Boca will likely turn to anger.

However, the arrival of Juan Roman Riquelme as Boca vice-president may see him be able to mediate the situation, taking into account that he has a former teammate on the other side of the Atlantic in Patrick Kluivert, who is Barcelona's director of youth football.

Ramos Mingo, who has already made his debut in friendlies with Boca but not in official matches, is a left-footed centre-back who stands at 1.80 metres tall, and he is strong in the air.

Barcelona hope to complete his arrival in the near future as Ronald Araujo is set to make the jump from Barcelona B to the first team, following the departure of Jean-Clair Todibo to Schalke, which would allow Ramos Mingo to take Araujo's place in the B team's squad.

Boca's president, Jorge Ameal, discussed the Ramos Mingo saga on Radio La Red.

"He did not show up for training - that's part of the problem," Ameal said.

"Someone didn't give him a contract; when the players are different, they are different.

"As soon as this happens [his departure for Barcelona], we are going to set up a committee and we are going to sanction those who had a hand in this. Because the boy had to have a contract.

"When you go to a paddock, you realise which player is different.

"And this boy was different; he can't be [available for] free for six months.

"Obviously, we're going to have to hold him accountable, inside and out.

"I understand that there must be agents in the middle; nobody talks to Barcelona just because."