Spanish radio channel Cadena SER have announced that Barcelona are chasing young Malian midfielder Abdou Traore to boost their midfield options. Manager Pep Guardiola is said to be extremely impressed by the 21 year old and Barca’s sports director Txiki Begiristain is believed to be monitoring the youngster.
Should he join Barca Traore, who plays for French Ligue 1 side Bordeaux, would probably be a like-for-like replacement for Ivory Coast midfielder Yaya Toure whose agent revealed this week that his client is interested with a move away from the Spanish champions. Traore would then be able to link up with fellow Malian international Seydou Keita at the Nou Camp and could prove a member of the Barca team for a long time to come, offering an alternative to youth product Sergio Busquets.
Traore broke into Bordeaux’s first team last season as Laurent Blanc’s side ended Lyon’s dominance of the French league by winning the title and has impressed since when on the field. Typically a spoiler, Traore has displayed good dribbling ability which would fit in with Barca’s style of possession-dominant football and, at 21, can still improve a lot.
Signing Traore however would not prove an immediate resolve of Barca’s problems as they are set to lose defensive midfielder duo Toure and Keita to the African Nations Cup in January and Traore would join the two in playing in the competition regardless of a move to Spain or not, leaving Sergi Busquets as Barca’s only holding midfielder – a possible weakness in the Spaniard’s side.
