A French football scout Yanick Salomon of Foot Brezh Academy is in Zimbabwe to search for local talent which he intends to promote in the European country famed for its fruitful soccer academies.

In partnership with a local junior football development organization Friendly Football Academy, Salomon will conduct week long trials at Raylton Sports Club beginning Wednesday.

Salomon has links with French Ligue 1 giants Lyon and is also in touch with clubs like Guinquamp, Brest and Lorient.

Salomon told the local press Tuesday morning that he will organise a training camp for the successful Zimbabwean players in France later this year.

The players will be presented with a chance to impress French top clubs who usually frequent his Academy.

“I have been involved in this for over six years and I have developed contacts. I even have contacts with Manchester United,” Salomon said.

Partridge Muskwe of Friendly Academy hailed the latest development.

“We will never go anywhere if we base with South Africa as a destination for our stars. Our players need to be exposed to Europe at an early age.

“For Zimbabwe to qualify for the World Cup we need players to be exposed to the game’s highest levels and those levels are in Europe,” said Muskwe.