Six players Barcelona are monitoring at the Africa Cup of Nations 2024 – report
Barcelona have made it a point to keep an eye out for up and coming young talents across the globe, so that they can sign them early and help them develop into stars at the club.
It has led to the Blaugrana dispatching scouts to tournaments like the Copinha in Brazil and the ongoing South American Olympic Qualifiers in Venezuela.
And now, Gabriel Sans of Mundo Deportivo is reporting that Barcelona have also sent scouts to attend the Africa Cup of Nations 2024 that is currently underway in Ivory Coast.
The competition is chock-full of big names like Victor Osimhen, Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, Riyad Mahrez, and Sofyan Amrabat, among others.
At the same time, there are several young talents who are looking to make a splash at the tournament. And, as per the report, Barça have their eyes on a number of such prospects, with six names in particular being highlighted.
Pape Matar Sarr (Senegal)
The 21-year-old midfielder is perhaps the most well-known player on the list as he is a regular for Tottenham Hotspur and Senegal.
Sarr has had a solid season at club level with Spurs, even bagging two goals and assists each from 18 league outings. The midfielder also has an assist at the AFCON for Senegal in two matches. But his contract with Tottenham runs until 2030.
Ernest Nuamah (Ghana)
The 20-year-old forward is currently on loan at Olympique Lyon from Belgian outfit RWD Molenbeek and has produced a tally of five goals and two assists from 21 games. A versatile operator, he can play anywhere across the frontline and has shown great promise.
However, Nuamah did not get a lot of minutes at the AFCON as he featured just once in Ghana’s three games, with the team now eliminated from the competition.
Yankuba Minteh (Gambia)
Another attacker on the list, 19-year-old Yankuba Minteh turned out for Gambia at the AFCON 2024, featuring in each of their three group games, although he did not score or assist a goal.
Minteh is currently on loan at Feyenoord in the Dutch Eredivisie from Premier League side Newcastle United, and has netted four goals and set up two more in 18 matches. Several teams in England are already tracking him with great intent.
Ousmane Diomande (Ivory Coast)
Representing the hosts at the Africa Cup of Nations 2024, 20-year-old defender Ousmane Diomande is another player Barcelona and other clubs are keeping an eye on.
The young centre-back plays for Sporting CP in Portugal, having joined from FC Midtjylland back in January 2023. He has grown into a regular for his club and is on the radars of a number of teams.
Dango Ouattara (Burkina Faso)
The 21-year-old Burkina Faso winger plays for Bournemouth in the Premier League and has featured 14 times this season with no goal contributions so far.
It must be noted that while he plays in advanced positions for his nation, at Bournemouth he has been deployed at left-back on several occasions, and it is a position that Barcelona are looking to strengthen in the summer.
Raphael Onyedika (Nigeria)
A defensive midfielder by trade, Raphael Onyedika is a mainstay for Belgian side Club Brugge and is slowly making his way into the Nigerian national team.
A powerful midfield enforcer, Onyedika has played 32 times for his club this season, scoring a goal and has a contract until 2027.
