Barcelona have it difficult to sign players under normal circumstances due to their well-documented financial problems, which is why they have been focusing on improving La Masia. And they have been doing this by adding a number of exciting younger stars to the well-renowned academy.
And one way that Barcelona have improved La Masia is through their partnership with Africa Foot. The academy, which works with hundreds of children in Africa, has an agreement with the Catalan club that runs until 2028, and since it began, several teenagers have made the move to La Masia – most notably, Malian attacker Ibrahim Diarra, who was in Hansi Flick’s plans during pre-season.
As per Sport, Barcelona have now agreed deals to bring two more teenage players over to La Masia. Aboubacar Maiga and Moustapha Traoré will head to Catalonia imminently, with both set to sign on an initial trial basis.
Who are Aboubacar Maiga and Moustapha Traoré?
Of the two, Maiga is the player who fits Barcelona the most at the moment. He is a very technical organising midfielder with exceptional skills for African football. He is considered to be a playmaker, and those within Can Barca see him as someone who could acclimatise to being a pivot. La Masia coaches have been following his evolution for months, and they are convinced that he could be a very good player in the future.
Traoré is a very fast winger known for being effective in one-on-one situations, while also being a good crosser. His technical ability and progression is said to have been highlighted by those at La Masia, although there is a concern about his output. However, the expectation would be that he and Maiga can kick on if they were to stay at Barcelona for years to come.
