Former coach compares La Liga striker to Lamine, Mbappe amid Barcelona links: ‘Numbers speak for themselves’

Former coach compares La Liga striker to Lamine, Mbappe amid Barcelona links: ‘Numbers speak for themselves’ Ever since Deco and Joao Amaral took over Barcelona’s recruitment department, they have placed special emphasis on signing young players ahead of the curve. For years, the Catalan club’s youth development largely centred on La Masia , but the duo have now started looking elsewhere as well. In recent transfer windows, Barcelona have signed the likes of Hamza Abdelkarim, Jesse Bisiwu and Patricio Pacifico with a view to developing them for the future. Another player the club seem to be interested in is Yassir Zabiri. The Moroccan youngster has enjoyed an excellent start to the season at Racing Santander. Former coach backs Zabiri for Barcelona move As quoted by SPORT , Zabiri’s former coach, Mimoun Mokhtari, has welcomed the news linking him to Barcelona. The coach, who worked with the striker at the Mohammed VI Academy and Union Touarga, is not surprised by the 21-year-old’s rapid development. “I’ve read those reports and, frankly, they didn’t surprise me,” Mokhtari explained. Zabiri has previously claimed of dreaming of a move to Barcelona. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images) “The level Zabiri is showing in Spain brings him close, in certain aspects and statistically, to players like Kylian Mbappe or Lamine Yamal. The numbers speak for themselves.” The comparisons are ambitious at this stage of his career, but the point is not to make them like-for-like. The Moroccan has already scored eight goals in 10 La Liga appearances this season while on loan from Rennes. Mokhtari spoke highly of the youngster’s finishing ability. “Zabiri is a hardworking player who never spares any effort. He has a talent you don’t find in every striker. When he enters the penalty area, he is capable of converting nine chances out of ten,” he claimed. What could Zabiri offer Barcelona? The coach also praised the striker’s intelligence, explaining: “He knows when to attack space, how to move behind defenders and how to ask for the ball in open areas. He understands situations before they develop.” These qualities could make Zabiri an interesting option for Barcelona, especially against opponents who leave space behind their defensive line. Zabiri would be an excellent understudy to Raphinha. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images) His ability to attack dangerous areas and finish chances would offer something different to Flick’s existing options up front. Although Raphinha is scoring a lot of goals, he is not a conventional striker, and Gabriel Jesus’ strengths lie elsewhere. Thus, signing the Moroccan youngster would be an excellent developmental bet for Barcelona, provided the price is right. The player has already previously admitted his admiration for the Catalan club, which could help them beat potential competition. It remains to be seen whether the 21-year-old can maintain his form over the course of the season and whether Barça move for him in the upcoming transfer windows.