Barcelona have been ‘extensively scouting’ the progress of Nice duo Malang Sarr (pictured) and Jean Michael Seri, according to reports.
19-year-old Sarr – who has a €40m release clause in his contract – has established himself as a regular in the France Under 21 side and quickly became a cornerstone of the successful Nice team – making 52 appearances since the start of last season.
Having been born in Nice and part of the club’s academy since he was aged 5, the defender, who is of Senegalese descent, signed his first professional contract in November 2016.
SFR Sport have now detailed how the Blaugrana have been tracking the young defender alongside his teammate and Ivory Coast international Seri.
Speculation in the Spanish media in the summer transfer window had linked the central midfielder with a move to the Camp Nou, but no deal came to fruition.
The scouts are said to have been in the stands as Nice crashed to a 3-2 home defeat against Lokomotiv Moscow on Thursday night in the Europa League.
Chelsea and Manchester United are also said to be monitoring the situation of both players.
