Barcelona have always looked to sign up as much young talent as possible, as well as older more established signings.
Looking for younger signings who will cost less than your average more mature signing, is something Barcelona are looking to do even more these days, with financial issues impacting.
A new update from Spanish media has reported that Barcelona have sent a scout to watch one young rising Newcastle United star.
Spanish media outlet Mundo Deportivo reporting that Yankuba Minteh is one of a handful of players taking part in the AFCON (African Cup Of Nations) that the La Liga club are taking an interest in.
Paying an initial £8m to Odense last year, a club record for the Danish club, the exciting 18 year old had impressed and progressed since then, both with Gambia and especially at his loan side, Feyenoord.
After so many wasted years under the former owner, Newcastle United now doing what so many ambitious top clubs do, looking to sign up promising players at a young age, from both home and abroad, in the hope that they increase in both ability and financial value.
Friday bringing confirmation that Alfie Harrison is the latest, the 18 year old midfielder arriving at Newcastle United from Manchester City for an undisclosed transfer fee.
Mundo Deportivo reporting:
‘As it has already done with Copinha in Brazil and with the South American Under-23 Olympic Qualifiers that are being held in Venezuela, Barcelona has sent a scout to follow the developments of the best African players.
Yankuba Minteh (born 2004) Winger, Gambia
Yankuba Minteh (Gambia, July 22, 2004) is excelling with Feyenoord, on loan from Newcastle, in the Eredivisie to the point that several Premier League clubs are already following him. Against Atlético in the Metropolitano, he showed his best level. A powerful attacker. He has appeared in 18 games, scoring four goals, one of them in the Champions League. It [contract at Newcastle United] concludes in 2028.
(The other five young players at the AFCON that Barcelona were / are also targeting / scouting)
Ernest Nuamah (born 2003) Forward, Ghana
Ousmane Diomande (born 2003) Central Defender, Ivory Coast
Dango Ouattara (born 2002) Winger, Burkina Faso
Pape Matar Sarr (born 2002) Midfielder, Senegal
Raphael Onyedik (born 2001) Midfielder, Nigeria
Yankuba Minteh and Gambia (the lowest world ranked team in the AFCON tournament) have now been knocked out.
However, it is ironic how these things work with clubs buying young players, as others have done to such a huge extent. Whereby they are bought in but invariably go on loan instantly to another club, who also pick up the wages, they then help the player progress and improve bother the quality / ability and the value of the player, all without kicking a ball for the club that ultimately the player has been bought by.
In the case of Yankuba Minteh for example, I think quite clearly that if for some reason Newcastle United did want to sell him now (which I very definitely don’t think is the case), then his transfer value has risen significantly since they bought him last summer.
As I say, other clubs have done this on a massive scale and to great success for years, the likes of Chelsea in particular.
As in so many areas, Newcastle United with the new owners / hierarchy belatedly joining the party and starting to compete, both in trying to sign young talent and in pretty much every aspect of running the club.
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