Barcelona had scouts present at Ligue 1 match between Marseille and Le Havre – report | OneFootball

FC Barcelona’s financial situation is still far from ideal and continues to be constrained by Fair Play regulations. But the club’s sporting department appears to have one thing clear: they must stay ahead of their competitors by identifying and securing the stars of tomorrow today.

In this regard, the French league has become one of the most prolific sources of young talent in recent years.

Aware of this, FC Barcelona sent scouts to watch the Ligue 1 fixture between Marseille and Le Havre, reports SPORT.

Ligue 1, a talent mine

While La Masia remains one of the best youth academies in the world and continues to produce players for the first team, keeping track of promising talents in other leagues is a way to stay protected – a strategy that has paid off in the past.

For example, this past summer, Barça once again profited financially from Jean-Clair Todibo, who was signed for €1 million and ultimately generated a return of around €20 million for the club.

Another successful example was the signing of Samuel Umtiti from Olympique Lyon for €25 million. Although he was not a well-known name in the summer of 2016, his performances before injuries struck were outstanding.

Barcelona used to admire Marseille’s Mason Greenwood. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

Meanwhile, Barça’s eternal rivals, Real Madrid, strengthened their midfield with two key signings from Ligue 1 at a young age – Eduardo Camavinga and Aurelien Tchouameni.

As such, the Catalans continue to monitor the Ligue 1 market for talents, and had scouts present at the recent game between Marseille and Le Havre.

Familiar faces for Barça

During Marseille’s 6-2 victory over Le Havre, Barça representatives witnessed first-hand, beyond the performances of promising players such as Paixão, the impressive display of Mason Greenwood, who scored four goals.

Although he has been linked with Barça in the past, it seems unlikely that the club will pursue his signing given the competition in his position.

Another familiar face for Barça was that of former player Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who remains popular among supporters thanks to his excellent performances during the final six months of the 2021/22 season.

The Gabonese forward also provided an assist in Marseille’s victory.