Araujo's agent offers Zambrano to Barcelona

In the context of their economic difficulties, FC Barcelona is obliged to detect young talent before it 'explodes' onto the scene. The club cannot afford to sign proven players at the highest level for big fees and that is why in recent years it has opted for promising young players, 'veterans' or free agents. The club's sporting management has had to juggle to reinforce the squad led by Xavi Hernandez.

As reported by 'El Canal del Fútbol', Barça are following Óscar Zambrano, a promising Ecuadorian football player. SPORT can add that it was Ronald Araujo's agent, Edmundo Kabchi, who put the young player's name on the table. The 19-year-old pivot has already made 29 appearances for LDU Quito's first team in his country's top flight, and completed a good U-20 World Cup between the end of May and the beginning of June.

At the World Cup, in fact, Zambrano averaged 79 interventions, 2.3 key passes, 60.5 deliveries with an 89 per cent success rate, 7.5 long balls, two shots and 4.3 duels won per game. He played all 90 minutes in the four matches played by the Ecuadorian team, coached by Miguel Angel Bravo. He was superb.

The Barça scouts who travelled to Argentina to 'spy' on the most promising youngsters filed good reports on Oscar Zambrano at a time when the Barça first team is looking for a replacement for Sergio Busquets. The Catalan club, however, are looking for a player of immediate performance for this important position, which is why the Ecuadorian would arrive to reinforce the reserve team and, if he can make the grade, he would 'move up' to the first team on a regular basis.