FC Barcelona remains dedicated to developing in-house young talent, exemplified by the recent contract extension for a La Masia gem still only 16 years of age.
The club has been involved in wage agreements for several promising players, all to retain them, while this recent talented La Masia player has now signed his first professional contract that keeps him around the Catalans during his adolescent years.
The signing ceremony, attended by club board member Joan Soler and director of youth football Jose Ramon Alexanco, confirms FC Barcelona’s belief in the academy’s ability to produce future superstars.
The player in question is Baba Kourouma, a highly-rated and gifted teenager, who signed a three-year contract (the maximum for under-18 players) ensuring he would remain at the club until 2028.
Kourouma is the younger brother of former Barcelona star Ilaix Moriba and is described as versatile, being able to play central defender, central midfielder, and full-back.
His robust stature, technical ability, and strength in duels have made him impossible to ignore in Juvenil B, while he has featured once for Juvenil A.
Even with clubs like Manchester City interested, Kourouma remained loyal to Barcelona, with a deal made months ago and finally signed recently.
This extension shows Barcelona’s plan to protect their La Masia assets, as interest from elsewhere starts to pick up.
Kourouma’s existing deal was running out, but his preference was always going to be at the club where he developed.
As he continues to develop, it is clear the versatile young player has a bright future ahead and – at Barcelona – they’re hoping he shapes into an important player for the club in years to come.
With this new deal, the young star is set to shine brightly as a future pillar of Barcelona’s storied legacy.
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