FC Barcelona’s financial constraints have pushed the club to explore cost-effective ways to enhance their squad, with a particular focus on scouting promising young talent from Africa. Instead of splashing large sums on transfers, the club is taking a more strategic approach by investing in emerging players for their reserve team, Barça Atlètic, with hopes of nurturing future stars and making a profit in the process.
Last season, Barcelona made headlines by signing two Senegalese defenders who played pivotal roles in their success. Mikayil Faye, a 20-year-old defender from NK Kustosija in Croatia, joined Barça Atlètic for a modest fee of 1.5 million euros. After a standout season, he was sold to Rennes for an impressive 10.3 million euros. Mamadou Mbacke, another promising defender who was on loan from Los Angeles FC, also became a permanent fixture in the team this season after his impactful performances under Rafa Márquez.
Building on the success of these African players, Barcelona continued their focus on talent from the continent. On the last day of the transfer window, the club signed Ghanaian left-back David Oduro (18 years old) from Accra Lions. Following that, the club announced the arrival of Abdul Aziz Issah, an 18-year-old attacking midfielder from Dreams FC. Issah, a regular in Ghana’s U-20 squad, has the versatility to play in various attacking positions and is set to join Barça Atlètic soon after the completion of his paperwork.
Looking ahead, Barcelona are also anticipating the arrival of Malian winger Ibrahim Diarra (17 years old) in January. Diarra, who impressed during trials earlier this year, is set to join the team once he turns 18 on December 12. With these acquisitions, Barcelona hopes to further strengthen their reserve squad with a fresh influx of young African talent, continuing their strategy of developing players for the future.
