“Would like to play for Barça” – Emerging French talent is a huge admirer of Barcelona

Maghnes Akliouche is currently the latest French talent making waves in Ligue 1 with brilliant performances for AS Monaco.

With 21 competitive appearances, the young winger has been involved in nine goals this season.

Akliouche was the one who started to sour FC Barcelona’s debut in Europe this season, scoring the opening goal in their 2-1 defeat at the Stade Louis II. To date, that remains Barcelona’s only defeat in the UCL under Hansi Flick.

Akliouche’s desire to play for Barcelona

In the wake of his sizzling performances in Ligue 1 and UCL, an old video of him has gone viral, where the player professes his love for Barcelona.

Albeit from a few years ago, the video reveals his deep appreciation for the Catalan club.

In it, he expresses his desire to don the Barça shirt one day, stating (h/t Mundo Deportivo), “As well as playing for Monaco, I would like to play for Barça.”

Future French superstar? (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)

As a matter of fact, Akliouche’s idol is none other than Lionel Messi, whom he considers “the best player in the world,” dismissing any comparison to Cristiano Ronaldo.

In the same interview, Akliouche also labelled Sergio Busquets as the most underrated player in the world. It must be noted that the veteran midfielder was still playing for Barça at the time.

Is Akliouche a good option for Barcelona?

Akliouche’s admiration for Barcelona is something the club can leverage should they plan to approach the Frenchman in the future.

However, these are still early days and the youngster must still prove himself with more consistent performances at the highest level if he is to become a target for Barça.

In any case, Akliouche’s valuation of €40 million will be enough to deter the Catalans. But as the forward continues his development path, it will be interesting to see what the future holds.