Barcelona swoop for ‘next Busquets’ as teenage Moroccan-Belgian talent Mehdi Maimouni set for La Masia move

Barcelona have secured the signing of highly rated Moroccan-Belgian midfielder Mehdi Maimouni from Belgian side Sporting Charleroi, in a move that has intensified competition for one of Europe’s most coveted teenagers.

The 17-year-old defensive midfielder is expected to join the Catalan club’s famed La Masia academy, according to Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo, although Barcelona have yet to make an official announcement.

Rising star with dual national future

Maimouni, who can represent either Belgium or Morocco at international level, has been widely described in the Belgian media as one of the standout prospects of his generation.

Belgian football website Walfoot on Monday published a series of photographs showing the young midfielder inside Barcelona’s club offices alongside the club’s vice-president for sport, Rafa Yuste, in what is believed to be a contract-signing session.

Despite the lack of formal confirmation from Barcelona, Belgian reports say the club have been tracking Maimouni for more than two years, underlining how long-term the interest has been in securing his services.

Social media hints and Nou Camp icons

Speculation over the transfer intensified earlier this week when Maimouni shared images from Barcelona on his official Instagram account.

The teenager posted photos of himself visiting the FC Barcelona museum, where he posed near shirts of some of the club’s greatest modern icons, including Ronaldinho and Luis Suarez. The posts were seen as a strong indication that a move was close.

While no contract details have been disclosed, the visit to the club’s headquarters and his tour of Barca’s facilities have been interpreted in Spain and Belgium as the final steps before his integration into La Masia.

Tactical brain draws Busquets comparisons

Maimouni’s profile has attracted attention well beyond Belgium. Scouts and analysts highlight his tactical intelligence, sharp reading of the game and his ability to dictate tempo from the holding midfield role.

Those attributes have led to early comparisons with Barcelona legend Sergio Busquets, a player who defined the defensive midfield position during his long spell at the Camp Nou.

His emergence has not gone unnoticed across Europe. PSV Eindhoven have been monitoring him closely, while several Premier League clubs, including Newcastle United, have also shown interest, according to Belgian reports.

Saudi Arabia explore long-term World Cup plan

The teenager’s international future is already the subject of strategic manoeuvring.

Reports in Belgium claim that Saudi Arabia has explored the possibility of bringing the player into its orbit with a view to potentially naturalising him in the future. That interest forms part of wider long-term planning ahead of the 2034 World Cup, which is set to be hosted by Saudi Arabia.

For now, however, Maimouni’s immediate future appears to be in Catalonia, where he will seek to develop within one of world football’s most prestigious academies – and attempt to follow in the footsteps of the very players whose shirts he admired at the Barcelona museum.