Manchester City and Barcelona keeping tabs on 18-year-old MLS attacker: Reports

Manchester City and Barcelona are reportedly monitoring Major League Soccer (MLS) attacker David Martinez. The 18-year-old currently plays for Los Angeles FC where his contract runs until the end of 2027.

Martinez has turned heads, attracting attention from several prominent clubs with his performances for Los Angeles. Since joining the MLS side from Monagas for a reported fee of €3.20 million in February 2024, the right winger has registered five goals and three assists in 25 appearances.

According to Estadio Deportivo, David Martinez's progress is being closely monitored by top clubs such as Manchester City, Barcelona, Real Betis, Borussia Dortmund, and Porto.

David Martinez has also made his mark with his impressive performances for the Venezuelan national team. He was praised as the nation's star player at the 2023 FIFA U-17 World Cup and has made five appearances for the under-23 team so far.

Martinez can be a great addition to Manchester City or Barcelona to strengthen their respective squads further and be a potential long-term investment.

Los Angeles FC are not expected to be interested in parting ways with David Martinez anytime soon. However, if they consider doing so, the MLS club will likely seek a much higher bid than what they paid for the Monagas graduate.

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Manchester City's Rodri heaps praise on Barcelona prodigy Lamine Yamal

2024 Ballon d'Or winner Rodri has heaped praise on Barcelona star Lamine Yamal, claiming that the 17-year-old has the potential to win the annual award in the future. The Manchester City midfielder has always been open about his admiration for the La Masia graduate.

Rodri and Yamal are also teammates in Spain's national team and they lifted the UEFA Euro 2024 trophy together.

Since making his senior team debut for Barcelona in April 2023 in LaLiga, Lamine Yamal has been impressive and earned a regular place in the Blaugrana's starting line-ups. In his 72 appearances for the club so far, he has recorded 13 goals and 21 assists.

The right winger ranked eighth in the 2024 Ballon d'Or rankings for his phenomenal performances for club and country. He won the Kopa Trophy and the Golden Boy award as well.

In an interview with AS, Rodri was asked about his frequent mention of Yamal during his acceptance speech at the 2024 Ballon d'Or ceremony. To this, the 28-year-old said:

"Yes, I put a bit of pressure on him (laughs). For me, I think he [Yamal] has everything he needs to win it. I don't know when he will win it, whether now or later, but I am convinced that he has the potential to win it."

Rodri and Yamal have shared the pitch 12 times while representing the Spain national team.