Barcelona and several Premier League clubs are reportedly monitoring Cameroon striker Etta Eyong at AFCON 2025 in Morocco after his early winning goal against Gabon, with the 22-year-old Levante forward now on watchlists ahead of potential 2026 moves.
Barcelona and several Premier League clubs are reportedly tracking Cameroon international Etta Eyong during AFCON 2025 in Morocco, with the tournament once again serving as a high exposure stage for scouting departments looking to identify the next forward to break into Europe’s top tier.
The report, attributed to transfer market specialist Fabrizio Romano, places the 22-year-old Levante striker on the radar of multiple clubs that are already thinking ahead to the 2026 market.
Eyong has not needed long to put himself in the spotlight. In Cameroon’s opening match of the competition, he scored the decisive goal in a 1-0 win over Gabon, striking in the 6th minute to settle the contest early. A goal that arrives so quickly in a tournament opener has an outsized impact: it shapes the match plan, calms nerves, and signals to opponents that Cameroon have a reliable presence in the penalty area. For a young striker, those moments also carry a different weight because they happen under national team pressure, with limited time to adapt and with the consequences of a single chance often deciding a group stage outcome.
For scouts, AFCON is not just about goals, even though goals drive the headlines. What clubs typically want is evidence of repeatable traits under stress: movement between central defenders, timing in the box, willingness to attack the near post, and the ability to convert half chances when matches become tight and physical. Tournament football also tests a forward’s discipline without the ball, because teams frequently defend deeper and counters become decisive. If Eyong continues to combine end product with strong off ball work, it becomes easier for elite clubs to justify moving from monitoring to formal interest.
Barcelona’s reported attention is especially notable because the club’s recruitment strategy in recent years has leaned toward identifying younger profiles who can be developed or integrated gradually, rather than only targeting fully established stars at peak pricing. A forward who can contribute across multiple phases, pressing, linking play, and finishing, fits the type of profile that tends to remain on Barcelona’s lists even if a move does not happen immediately. The focus on 2026 suggests a longer runway: a period to keep watching him at club level, evaluate whether his output is consistent, and assess how his game translates against different defensive structures.
Premier League interest, meanwhile, often brings a different set of considerations. English clubs frequently place additional emphasis on physical robustness, tempo tolerance, and the ability to execute at speed in transition. AFCON can be relevant here because it often produces matches with intense duels, emotional swings, and rapid momentum changes. A striker who holds up play, absorbs contact, and still stays sharp for a decisive moment can tick boxes that matter for the English game, particularly for clubs that want forwards capable of functioning in both possession heavy and transition based systems.
The timing of AFCON 2025 is also significant. The tournament runs from 21 December to 18 January, right in the middle of the European season. That creates practical complexity for clubs that are actively scouting: technical directors and recruitment leads may want in-person evaluations, while coaches and analysts are simultaneously dealing with domestic schedules and injuries. It also shapes transfer thinking. Even if a player performs well, many clubs prefer to avoid reacting impulsively during a tournament month and instead use the competition as one more data point before making a decision in the next window.
From Eyong’s perspective, the narrative is straightforward and highly advantageous. He is 22, plays as a striker for Levante, and has already delivered a decisive contribution on a major international stage. That combination naturally generates momentum, and momentum is a key ingredient in how football markets move. A few more standout performances can shift the conversation from being watched to being pursued, especially if his tournament role grows and he continues to show composure in high leverage moments.
Still, it is important to separate monitoring from an imminent transfer. Clubs keep extensive watchlists, and being on one does not mean an offer is around the corner. Barcelona, in particular, are often linked with many names during international tournaments, but actual movement depends on financial room, squad priorities, and the availability of alternatives. Premier League clubs also vary widely: some prefer to buy early and develop, while others only move once a player has proven himself across a full league season in Europe. The report’s emphasis on 2026 aligns with a more measured approach, where the tournament is used to confirm potential rather than trigger an immediate move.
If Eyong continues to score, the next layer of scrutiny will focus on the details that separate a promising forward from a top level acquisition. Does he create chances for others when space is limited? How quickly does he read second balls and rebounds? Can he handle being tightly marked without losing discipline? Is he efficient with touches in the box, or does he need multiple actions to finish? These are the questions clubs will try to answer across the remaining matches, because a striker’s value rises fastest when scouts can point to specific, transferable strengths rather than just tournament output.
For Cameroon, his early goal is already a positive signal. In tournament football, winning the first match often changes everything: it reduces the pressure in the group, allows a coach more flexibility, and forces opponents to take more risks. If Eyong becomes a key figure in that run, his profile will naturally grow in parallel with Cameroon’s progress.
In summary, the story is not that Barcelona or Premier League clubs are about to conclude a deal tomorrow. The story is that Eyong has positioned himself as a forward worth serious attention, and that the combination of age, club platform, and immediate AFCON impact has put him firmly in the conversation for elite recruitment planning toward 2026.
