New Yamal? Barcelona’s young player surprises Flick… and he’s in for a surprise

Gambian-Spanish midfielder Ibrahima Tunkara has continued to impress in Barcelona’s pre-season camp for the new season, despite not yet being 16, becoming the only 2010-born in German coach Hans Flick’s squad, suggesting he could remain in the first team instead of the reserves.

The Catalan newspaper “Sport” notes that, according to sources close to the Catalan club, Flick did not hesitate to include Tunkara in the large group of youngsters who started the pre-season with the first team. The youngster has impressed everyone with his impressive physique, in addition to his technical skills and physical strength, which has left more than one first-team player who has not been involved in many training sessions with him surprised by his level.

3 minutes is enough

Tunkara took advantage of Barcelona’s first pre-season friendly to prove his worth as he scored the Blaugrana’s third goal in last Friday’s 4-1 win over CE Europa after picking up Alex Gonzalez’s pass and superbly slotting the ball into the net despite heavy defensive scrutiny.

Remarkably, the goal came just three minutes after he came on at the Tito Vilanova Stadium, where Flick made sweeping changes to the squad after the break, confirming the youngster’s considerable impact in previous training, prompting the German manager to give him an early chance.

Stay out of the question

Tunkara is fully aware that he has a long way to go and that he will have to play in the reserves this season, but his impressive performance in the training camp has left all options open, including the possibility of staying in the first team, especially in light of the injuries to some players (Ronald Araujo, Alejandro Balde and Fermin approaching). Amsterdam.

Barcelona now prepare for a warm-up tour of England, where Flick plans to retain the main squad that has accompanied him since the start of pre-season due to the continued absence of international players (all Spanish players Cunde and Gordon) who are on leave after the 2026 World Cup.

Sources confirmed that Flick will certainly continue to keep a close eye on Tunkara during the preparation phase, although he still has a lot to learn as is expected at this age, but he has huge potential that makes him a great talent at the La Masia academy that will surely continue to make headlines in the coming period.

Notably, Tunkara is considered to be the youngest player in the current pre-season squad, but his strong physique and superior technical skills put him above many players his age, clearly indicating that Barcelona could be in for a rising star from La Masia’s renowned talent factory.