Barcelona and Manchester United reportedly scouted Hammarby midfield prodigy Williot Swedberg in their recent league game against Malmo.
According to a report from Swedish publication Expressen, Barcelona and Manchester United are interested in Hammarby’s 18-year-old midfielder Williot Swedberg and watched him in action in a recent Allsvenskan clash against Malmo.
Swedberg is a product of the Hammarby youth academy and made his first-team debut for the club in 2021 at the age of 17. He has since grown into a regular in the side for the Swedish outfit, racking up 32 appearances in which he has scored eight goals and set up two more for his teammates.
Swedberg has made a fine start to the new Allsvenskan season in 2022, bagging five goals in just six games. The 18-year-old also has eight caps for the Sweden Under-18 national team, scoring one goal in the process.
Swedberg is a central midfielder but can play as an attacking midfielder or on the left flank, where he has been regularly used this season. His progress with Hammarby has not gone unnoticed, as Barcelona and Manchester United had scouts watching the teenager in action this past Monday against Malmo as the two teams played out a goalless draw.
?? Williot Swedberg (18) in the Allsvenskan for @Hammarbyfotboll:
☑️ 5 games (4 starts)
⚽️ 5 goals
? 5 key passes
? 5 wins
? 7 dribbles won
⚔️ 8 tackles wonLeads his team and league in goals.
Top player to watch in Sweden right now! ? pic.twitter.com/VN7qsIkVDv
— Football Wonderkids (@fbwonderkids) April 29, 2022
Barcelona have had a lot of success with their youth players in recent times, with Ansu Fati, Pedri, Gavi, Nico Gonzalez and Ronald Araujo becoming key players in the first-team setup at Camp Nou under Xavi Hernandez. As a result, the Catalans are continuing to bolster their youth ranks, with Emre Demir and Pablo Torre set to arrive at the club at the end of the season.
Barcelona have their sights set on a few more prospects like Kaiky Fernandes and are now interested in luring Williot Swedberg from Hammarby, having scouted the 18-year-old earlier this week. However, they will face competition from Manchester United, who are also interested in the Swedish prodigy.
Manchester United also have a reputation of being a club where youth is prominently encouraged. Marcus Rashford, Scott McTominay and, more recently, Anthony Elanga have become established members of the senior setup at Old Trafford. That trend is likely to continue when Erik ten Hag takes over at the end of the season.
The Dutch tactician is known for nurturing young players, and Swedberg could be seen as a viable target to strengthen the ranks, especially with the midfield department needing some fresh blood in the summer. The 18-year-old is attracting interest from several other clubs according to Hammarby director Jesper Jansson. So, it remains to be seen if Barcelona or Manchester United move for him this summer.
