Barcelona keeping close tabs on African attacking pearl with 19 goals – report | OneFootball

With the halfway point of the season fast approaching, Barcelona have already started drawing up plans for the 2026/27 campaign.

The club are clearly focused on signing a new defender who can replace Inigo Martinez and a striker who can replace Robert Lewandowski in the years to come.

While the likes of Julian Alvarez, Harry Kane, and Serhou Guirassy have all been linked with a move to Barcelona, the club are also looking at some young talents as well.

Barcelona keeping tabs on Franculino

According to Fichajes, one of them is Franculino Dju, a striker from Guinea-Bissau and a product of the SL Benfica youth academy.

Currently plying his trade for Midtjylland, the 21-year-old forward has lit up the Danish league with his performances, having racked up 19 goals in 26 competitive matches his season.

Barcelona desperately need a long-term replacement for Lewandowski. (Photo by Rafal Oleksiewicz/Getty Images)

Three of his goals have come in the UEFA Europa League, and as per the report, Barcelona are closely monitoring the youngster’s progress.

Barcelona coaches have reportedly been impressed by Franculino’s mobility and ability to attack spaces. He is also quite competitive in the scoring area and has a competitive personality.

The report goes on to imply that the Catalans have established first contact with Franculino as well. But unfortunately, other clubs are also interested in the centre-forward’s services.

Midtjylland, for their part, are aware of the value of their star player and are likely to hold out for a fortune. This doesn’t bode well for Barcelona, who are not in a position to get involved in a bidding war.

While Dju, for his part, is focused on finishing the season well at Midtjylland, he seems destined for an exit from the club in the summer of 2026.