Barcelona is said to be disappointed at losing out on a young prodigy who joined Manchester United over the summer.
The club’s youth scouts had spotted him as a rising talent, but financial constraints and a late response enabled Manchester United to take advantage and sign him.
The player is Sekou Koné, according to Diario Sport.
A document leaked by the Spanish daily reveals that the La Liga giants had made a move for the 19-year-old Malian youngster before he finalized his move to Old Trafford.
Koné, formerly with the Malian club Guidars FC before moving to Manchester United, signed with the club on summer deadline day in 2023.
The player has made appearances for the U19 and U21 squads and has also been part of senior training ever since.
Despite being named on the matchday squad for three games this season by manager Erik ten Hag, he has not yet made an appearance for the first team.
However, being named in senior training is an indication that United thinks highly of him as a player.
Barcelona sporting director Deco had also been monitoring him as a possible signing to their youth team.
Although the club is not keen on signing a defensive midfielder to the first team currently due to budget constraints and shaping their current players, they are keen on signing young talented players to their academy.
Koné’s athleticism and technical ability made him a prime target, but Barcelona’s hesitation denied them a chance to sign him.
The La Liga daily also reports that Barcelona has lost several youngsters as a result of financial and logistical delays, and Koné is among them.
The Malian midfielder himself has confirmed that he could not turn down Manchester United after they made him a “big offer.”
This has made Barcelona regret not being able to move fast, particularly as they are still on the lookout for cheap young players to bolster their youth system.
For the time being, Koné is concerned about getting into Manchester United’s senior team, but Barcelona will need to search elsewhere for future talent.
The instance is an indication of increased competition for young talent in contemporary football, with teams that have greater financial clout being able to scout future players at an early stage before other teams even get a chance to negotiate.
Barcelona’s failure to do so is an indicator of the financial difficulties they are operating under in a bid to restock their team.
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