Barça's latest signings make it clear that the club has chosen its new 'cradle' of talent

FC Barcelona and Joan Laporta have defined the roadmap for future signings for the club, and it would go through Africa. The Catalans are looking to diversify and want to 'fish' for new talents beyond Europe, so the president has given the 'OK' to increase investment in the Mother Continent, a territory where English and French teams have been working for several years. The economic problems of recent times, added to the positive results obtained with the first bets, have finished convincing 'Jan' of the need to continue allocating resources to southern Europe.

Faced with the impossibility of keeping up with the British clubs, whose checkbook is increasingly 'heavy', the Blaugranas are beginning to explore new avenues, and Africa could be part of the solution. According to 'SPORT', the technical secretariat has fully immersed itself in some academies in Senegal, Mali and the Ivory Coast in the last year and has increased 'scouting' in local tournaments. The Catalans are accumulating information and are beginning to monitor the young African talents who have 'Barça material'.

Using this method, they have managed to tie down Malian Ibrahim Diarra (17 years old) and David Oduro (18), a Ghanaian who will reinforce Barça Atlètic. In addition, the entity announced the loan of Aziz Issah (18), also from Ghana. Paulo Araujo, director of the 'scouting' area, is in charge of managing the project, accompanied by Sergi Barjuan in the technical direction, and both have taken on the task of starting to 'feed' the club with more African promises. Some of these, with the aim of reinforcing the first team in the future, while others are presented as opportunities to cash in once they have been revalued.

This is how Mika Faye arrived, who was transferred to Rennes for 10 million euros this summer, more than double what he cost at the time. These 10 million euros have already covered the Catalan club's investment in various academies for several years, and show that the Catalans are right to look outside Europe to get new talent. The risk is low and wearing the Blaugrana shirt 'shoots up' the value of these footballers in the market when they stand out in the first team or even in the reserve team.

Barça's project also positively affects society

The figure of Barça's 'scout' in Africa, Moussa Koné, is fundamental when it comes to dealing with the operations of these promising players. The competition in the African territory is 'brutal', since from several countries, especially from England, they are looking for the new Sadio Mané or the new N'golo Kanté. In fact, Manchester United recently acquired the services of Malian Sékou Koné (18) for 1.5 million euros.

However, the project of the Blaugrana institution goes beyond the sporting aspect, because it also positively affects society. Through training in all areas (coaches, nutritionists...) and other contributions such as sports material and equipment, the Catalans aim to improve the living conditions of all these children who dream of making a living from football. One more example that the Catalans are 'more than a club'.