Lionel Zacharie Enguene Signs First Professional Contract with FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona has secured a promising talent in Lionel Zacharie Enguene, who has signed his first professional contract with the club, committing him until 2018. The 18-year-old midfielder, who joined Barça’s famed youth academy La Masia in 2007 at just 11 years old, came through the club’s partnership with the Samuel Eto’o Foundation in Cameroon.
Highly rated by coaches at La Masia, Enguene is viewed as one of the brightest prospects in Barcelona’s youth setup. Speaking after signing the deal, Enguene expressed his gratitude and determination: “I’m very happy to stay at this great club and to have signed my first professional contract. Thank you to Barça for their trust. Now I have to give it my all.”
Barcelona’s academy is increasingly becoming a hotspot for Cameroonian talent. Alongside Enguene, goalkeeper Joseph Fabrice Ondoua, defender Frank Bagnack, and striker Jean-Marie Dongou have all earned professional contracts. The latter three players are also part of Cameroon’s national squad, selected by coach Volker Finke for the 2015 African Cup of Nations qualifiers against DR Congo and Ivory Coast.
With such a pipeline of talent, Barcelona continues to strengthen its reputation for nurturing young African players and providing them with a platform to develop into future stars.
