Official: Barcelona extend the contract of 16-year-old La Masia prodigy | OneFootball

The spree of contract extensions at the youth level continues at FC Barcelona as Baba Kourouma has become the latest La Masia gem to pen a new deal with the club.

Indeed, following the contract extensions of youngsters like Aron Yaakobishvili, Jofre Torrents, and Brian Farinas, the Catalans have secured the future of Kourouma, who has signed his first professional contract after turning 16 years old in February.

“Player Baba Kourouma has signed his contract extension, in the presence of board member Joan Soler and the director of youth football, Jose Ramon Alexanco, to continue at the club during his youth stage,” the club statement read.

Although the exact duration was not specified in the club’s statement, it is understood that Kourouma has signed a three-year deal – the maximum permitted for players under 18, meaning the contract runs until 2028.

Kourouma is viewed within Barcelona as a highly promising and versatile player. Capable of playing as a centre-back, a central midfielder or even as a full-back, the 16-year-old is valued for his physical strength, technical ability, and dominance in one-on-one situations.

Kourouma happens to be the younger brother of former Barcelona star Ilaix Moriba. His previous contract was set to expire at the end of the current season, attracting interest from several clubs including Manchester City.

However, the teenager had always prioritised continuing at Barcelona. In fact, the agreement between the club and the player had been in place for several months and was officially signed today.

Currently a part of the Juvenil B setup, Kourouma also made appearances for Juvenil A in the ongoing campaign. A bright future awaits the La Masia jewel.