According to Germanijak, there are ongoing transfer speculations surrounding Cardoso Varela, and the publication mentions that Barcelona was previously interested in him when he was playing at Porto. There is speculation that Dinamo is working on the sale of Cardoso Varela, either this summer or in the winter. A clause of five million exists, which entitles Dinamo to 57 percent and the player and his representatives to 43 percent of that amount. It is also speculated that this clause may include additional bonuses related to Varela's appearances in European competitions.

Cardoso Varela, a 17-year-old Portuguese winger playing at Maksimir, is one of several young talents from the Croatian league who have attracted the attention of major European clubs. While it is not known when he will make a move to Europe, it is known that Barcelona is the leading contender to sign him. The youth international, who has 22 caps and 3 goals for Portugal U17, is under contract with Dinamo Zagreb until June 2028 and has a current market value of €1.00m, according to Transfermarkt. In the 2025/2026 domestic league season, he has made 9 appearances. A transfer to FC Barcelona was reportedly agreed for a fee of €25 million in November 2025. Varela had joined Dinamo Zagreb on a free transfer in early 2025 after his contract with his former club Porto expired.