Barcelona have confirmed the much-talked-about signing of Mali Under-17 star Ibrahim Diarra. The 18-year-old has signed a contract with the Blaugrana until 2028.
Diarra stood out as a midfielder for Mali at the 2023 Under-17 World Cup, and having previously been on trial with the club, she has now joined the club. He will be part of Barca Atletic, managed by Albert Sanchez. Although the Blaugrana have not announced a transfer fee, previous reports say he will repay the Catalan club €1.7 million, which will go to Academy Africain Foot, where he came through.
The club points to his size, touch, strength and versatility as some of his key attributes. Diarra is part of a conscious and obvious shift towards recruiting talent from the African continent to Barcelona as they look to gain an edge over the rest of Europe's elite. He follows Ghanaian left back David Oduro through the door.