Barcelona lead in youngsters’ market value with record-breaking €444m | OneFootball

Barcelona’s La Masia academy is widely considered the best youth academy in world football. The club from Catalonia has a long history of developing young talent, relying on this pipeline to strengthen their first team.

Even during the tenure of their former coach, Xavi, several players have emerged from the academy to make their mark on the first team.

Notable examples include Fermin Lopez, Pau Cuabarsi, and Lamine Yamal. These players have successfully transitioned from the academy to the senior squad, showcasing the high level of talent and training provided at La Masia.

Interestingly, Transfermarkt recently published a report in which it has highlighted the value of Under-21 players at various clubs around the world.

In this assessment, Barcelona come out on top, boasting the highest-rated young players compared to other top clubs such as Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea, and Bayern Munich.

This evaluation isn’t just about the number of young players at these clubs but focuses on the total market value of their Under-21 talent.

A detailed breakdown of Barcelona’s lead

Barcelona’s 14 Under-21 players are collectively valued at €444 million. Leading the pack are Lamine Yamal and Gavi, each valued at €90 million.

Lamine Yamal and Gavi are the highest-rated Barcelona players. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

Other highly valued players include Pedri (€80 million), Alejandro Balde (€40 million), and Cubarsi, Fermin, and Vitor Roque, each at €30 million.

Aside from Pedri and Roque, the significant aspect here is that most of these players were trained at La Masia, emphasising the academy’s role in nurturing top talent.

In contrast, Real Madrid, which rank second on this list, has four highly valued Under-21 players. Jude Bellingham tops their list with a valuation of €180 million, followed by Eduardo Camavinga at €100 million.

How about the competitors?

Combined, these two players account for the majority of the €320 million total value of Real Madrid’s young talents.

PSG also features prominently, with Xavi Simons—another La Masia product—now playing for the Parisian club and valued at €60 million. The total value of PSG’s Under-21 players stands at €262 million.

Bayern Munich’s young stars are collectively worth €205 million, largely due to the high valuation of Jamal Musiala at €120 million. Chelsea, meanwhile, have the largest number of Under-21 players, with 16 youngsters contributing to their total value.

This report underscores the strength and value of young talent across these top football clubs, with Barcelona’s La Masia-trained players leading the way in terms of market value.

The continued success of La Masia highlights its importance not just to Barcelona but to the broader football world, demonstrating the academy’s ability to consistently produce top-level talent.