Barcelona, Real Madrid scouts banned by Spanish club amid youth player exodus | OneFootball

As reported by Heraldo de Aragón (h/t Mundo Deportivo), Real Zaragoza have taken the significant step of barring scouts from FC Barcelona and Real Madrid and from entering their Ciudad Deportiva.

This decision comes as a response to the recent loss of several promising youth players, a trend that has severely impacted the Aragonese club.

According to the report, this restriction will also apply to Real Betis, who are believed to have recently signed a youth player from Zaragoza.

The report explains that this measure extends to all matches involving the youth teams of Real Zaragoza, ranging from the youngest age groups to the senior youth squad.

This development comes after Barcelona signed two youth talents, Gorka Buil and Samu Borniquel, from the Zaragoza youth academy.

Following that, the Spanish club had issued a statement expressing concerns about what it termed “the plundering of its youth players.”

The statement highlighted the increasing frequency with which players are being poached at younger ages, causing significant harm to one of the club’s most vital components: its youth development system.

“The club makes a great effort and investment in the training and development of its players which, on occasions, is taken advantage of by clubs with greater resources.

“This is due to the fact that there are insufficient regulations that reflect and regulate these circumstances and that are causing serious conflicts of a sporting, social and economic nature that threaten the stability of clubs such as Real Zaragoza.”

Now, acting on their concerns, Zaragoza have banned scouts from Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Real Betis from attending any of their youth team matches.