PSG have leapfrogged Barcelona, Liverpool, and Manchester United in pursuit of Mali midfield sensation Aboubacar Maiga.
PSG have moved ahead of Barcelona, Liverpool, and Manchester United in the race to sign Mali youth international Aboubacar Maiga, according to a report from TEAMtalk. While Barcelona, Liverpool, and Manchester United have long-standing interest in the 16-year-old, the French giants are closing in on his signature.
Maiga, who is currently a part of the Africa Foot academy, is considered one of the brightest African talents and a generational prospect. He has been nicknamed ‘Malian Messi’ by those who have seen him in action, with his technical quality, creativity and maturity drawing comparisons to some of the best attacking players to have played the game.
Barcelona are one of the clubs that have been linked with him. The Blaugrana have a healthy working relationship with Academie Africa Foot, having already signed Ibrahim Diarra, who is excelling in their youth setup. Given the relationship between the two clubs, it was widely expected that the Catalan giants would win the race for his signature.
While the teenage sensation is not yet ready for first-team football, he could prove to be a valuable addition to their famous youth academy, La Masia, and given his massive potential, he could soon break into the senior side.
Apart from Barcelona, Liverpool, and Manchester United have been closely monitoring him for around 12 months. Their scouts have closely tracked his youth-level performances, and both Andoni Iraola and Michael Carrick’s teams have held talks over a potential move.
PSG in pole position to sign Maiga
However, it seems all three clubs could miss out on him, as PSG have reportedly stepped up their efforts to sign the 16-year-old. The French giants’ project has had a strong impression on the youngster and those around him. He is currently spending time in France, as PSG intensify their assessments on him.
PSG are now reportedly increasingly confident they can beat European rivals to his signature, after having decided to go all out to sign him. While La Masia have a reputation for developing some of the best young talents in world football, PSG’s success under Luis Enrique (two Champions League titles in a row) is a major draw for Maiga.
