While a lot of youth tournaments get publicity, others, like Les Jeux de la Francophonie, don’t.
The event, which could be compared to the French-speaking world’s version of the Commonwealth Games, invites teams like France, Quebec, Senegal and Cameroon to send U19 squads to compete for a medal.
Even if the squads tend to be weaker than those for Euros and World Cups, teams, including Manchester United, still seem to dispatch some scouts to watch some of the talent on display.
According to RFI, one of José Mourinho’s staff was present to watch DR Congo beat France 2-1, knocking the latter of the two out of the competition and sending the former through to the knockout stages.
This information was revealed in an interview with DR Congo and former Bordeaux youngster Arnaud Mwendy, currently without a club, having left the Ligue 1 side due to ‘disagreements with some of the directors’.
Expected to announce his new club once Les Jeux de La Francophonie come to an end, the player was told Manchester United, AS Monaco and Strasbourg were all in the stands watching him in his country’s 2-1 victory.
Refusing to reveal the identity of his new side, the defensive midfielder explained it was a ‘secret’, and he would announce it on his social media in due time.
Will it be a transfer to Old Trafford? We’ll have to wait and see.
Other than Mwendy, some of the notable French players on display were Arsenal forward Yassine Fortune, Montpellier’s Amine Karraoui, Lyon’s Paul Devarrewaere and Le Havre’s Papa Alassane Gueye.
