5 best Barcelona academy stars who moved elsewhere in recent years
Barcelona have had an array of prospects, graduating from their immense academy in the past decade. Even though the production has decelerated in recent times, La Masia remains one of the most sacred institutions in the entirety of football.
The Blaugrana have had an academy graduate as their captain since Carles Puyol was handed the reins in 2004. Even today, following Lionel Messi's departure, the newly nominated leaders all hail from the esteemed La Masia. Sergio Busquets furthered the tradition by succeeding Messi as club captain, with Gerard Pique, Sergi Roberto and Jordi Alba as his deputies.
Many top academy talents are still stationed in Barcelona's B team
The Catalans' secondary squad has always garnered attention due to their vast potential and excellent displays at a lower level. They were denied promotion to the second tier, by the narrowest of margins last season. Captained by the supremely talented Alex Collado, Barcelona's B team lost out to UCAM Murcia in the playoff semifinals on penalties.
Their gallant hunt for promotion was bolstered by a plethora of young talents. Academy stalwarts like Nico Gonzalez, Inaki Pena, Konrad de la Fuente, Rey Manaj and many more proved to be instrumental in their success.
However, current first-team mainstay Oscar Mingueza and contract rebel Ilaix Moriba were only handed bit-part roles in the B team's sensational run to third place.
With the aforementioned Moriba keen on securing a move away from Camp Nou, let's take a look at 5 such alumni of Barcelona's academy who have moved elsewhere recently:
#5 Monchu (Granada)
The B team's captain for a brief period, Monchu has been a highly-rated prospect ever since his move from Mallorca to Barcelona in 2012, aged just nine. The youngster was awarded a promotion to the senior squad in 2020, after impressing regularly at the academy level.
However, he was loaned out to fellow Spanish side Girona, almost instantly after being given the step-up.
At Estadi Montilivi, Monchu lit up eyes everywhere, putting in consistent and stellar performances. The 21-year-old central midfielder became an instant hit in Catalonia, appearing 43 times for his club.
Girona had installed a mandatory purchase clause in Monchu's contract, if they were to achieve promotion at the end of the season.
Having failed to activate the said provision, the second-tier minnows were forced to bid farewell to their star man. After stalled negotiations with his parent club regarding his contract, the former Barcelona academy big-shot opted for a free transfer to Granada.
With several La Liga and European clubs reportedly interested in his signature, Monchu is destined for big things, irrespective of his destination.
#4 Xavi Simons (Paris Saint-Germain)
Another midfielder touted for following in his namesake's footsteps at Barcelona, Xavi Simons, enraged many devoted fans with his decision to part ways with the Catalan giants in 2019. The social media sensation controversially chose money over legacy, signing a bumper €1m annual-wage contracts with PSG at just 16.
While many questions are hovering over the Dutch midfielder's priorities, there is absolutely no doubt regarding his obvious talents.
Simons was considered to be a generational talent in his academy days, taking this reputation with him to Paris. Currently valued at €500k, the 18-year-old has already established himself as a bright prospect.
With an impressive pre-season wherein he netted two goals already under his belt, Simons' next objective would be to break into the PSG first team. The former Barcelona player has experienced a meteoric rise to stardom, earning a call-up to the preliminary matchday squad in Ligue 1's initial stages.
If he continues to dazzle, a million-a-year will turn out to be an absolute bargain for the Parisians in the future.
Also read: 10 most disappointing graduates from Barcelona's La Masia academy in the 21st century