Gerard Martin names Ebrima Tunkara and Orian Goren as the Barcelona youngsters who have wowed him

Martin names Tunkara and Goren as the young Blaugrana who have caught his eye

With La Liga on a three-week hiatus for the international break and league action not due to resume until next weekend, Barcelona defender Gerard Martin has used the pause in the calendar to look beyond the first team — and to single out the two youngsters who have impressed him most at the club.

Speaking in a new interview with Sport, Martin was asked to name the two players who had wowed him the most, and the defender did not hesitate: Ebrima Tunkara and Orian Goren.

"Well, in pre-season we were lucky enough to be able to see quite a few and I liked Orian and Ebrima a lot," Martin explained. "The thing is that they are very, very young, but yes, I liked them. They still have a long way to go, but I like both of them quite a bit."

Praise that echoes Flick's pre-season verdict

Martin's assessment chimed with that of head coach Hansi Flick, who came in for similar applause over Goren during the summer. The Barça boss named the midfielder as one of the players who had surprised him the most during pre-season, alongside Xavi Espart and Tunkara.

Of that trio, it is Espart who has so far made the leap — the youngster is currently thriving in the first team at Barcelona under Flick. Goren and Tunkara remain further back on the road, but Martin's comments suggest the belief inside the dressing room is that both have what it takes to follow in Espart's footsteps and force their way into the picture at Camp Nou.

A long way to go, but the seeds are there

For all the encouragement, Martin was careful not to overhype the pair. His caveat — that they are "very, very young" and "still have a long way to go" — underlines the patience required as Goren and Tunkara continue their development away from the spotlight.

Still, for two players yet to establish themselves at senior level, endorsement from both the head coach and an established first-team defender is no small thing. As Barcelona's next generation bids to break through at Camp Nou, Tunkara and Goren now have two influential voices firmly in their corner.