Munir El Haddidi: Scout Report
There is one club which always has their eyes open for the next big young thing, this English club has a history of bringing out some of the best young talent in the Premier League and now they have their eye set for another youth product and will do something that Barcelona did to them or will be trying to do that.
Arsenal seem to be in the running to sign the young Barcelona forward Munir El Haddidi, he currently plays for Barcelona B and did have a mini stint with the first team where he impressed, we look at just who this 19-year-old sensation is and what he brings to a team.
Munir El Haddidi: The next star from Barcelona
Initially signed by Atletico to play in their youth squad, his impressive start to his career saw him move to Barcelona and the famed La Masia academy, although he didn’t really play many games for Barcelona B, his impressive performances for the youth sides saw him start all 4 of Barcelona’s opening fixtures, he was then sent back to the B team to gain more experience as Luis Suarez returned to the side after the end of his suspension.
He plays as a forward and can play on either wing. Though he is left-footed, he enjoys cutting in and then shifting the ball on his favoured foot to take a shot or make a run. He does have speed and has great technique and control of the ball, which is impressive for a 19-year-old. His speed gives him the ability to run off the last defender and he is brilliant when a through ball is laid on a plate for him. He also has this innate ability to be at the right place at the right time, his positioning is great as well which is something of a gift and cannot be always taught.
He does have a few places to work on to make his game better, he doesn’t have the best shot in him and often skews a shot wide. Another issue with his game is that he does not have the best passing accuracy and has often been caught out by the opposition. Munir doesn’t have the biggest frame either and he has been bullied off the ball, which was evident in the first few games he played in La Liga for Barcelona.
A little bit of work on his decision making and how he can bulk up or use his speed against the physical defenders and Munir could well be the next great player who comes out from La Masia that we keep talking about for ages.