Ansu follows the path of other youth players who did not meet expectations.
Ansu Fati 's loan move to Monaco , although not a transfer, sounds almost like a farewell. One of the greatest recent talents in the Barça youth system and one of the players on whom great expectations fell, seems to be following the path of many others who left the Catalan club without success , despite being a product of La Masia with the necessary talent to establish himself in the first team
And the home of the Barça youth academy is collecting praise like no other in stages like the current one, where a good number of footballers who have been coming up through the lower categories are now nourishing Hansi Flick 's squad . The German's time is beginning to resemble Guardiola 's , where the backbone of the team was made up of youth players. Where Busquets, Xavi, Iniesta, Pedro and Messi used to be, now we find Cubarsí, Gavi, Casadó or Lamine . But there are many others who fell by the wayside or, like Ansu Fati, had to look for their opportunity far from the Spotify Camp Nou.
Based on their performance, expectations, and presence in the first team , these are the top 10 youth players who left the club in the last decade without living up to expectations. This is the downside of La Masía:
Ansu Fati
His emergence in the 19-20 season seemed to position him as the heir apparent to Leo Messi. That's a tall order, but his ease of scoring and his ability in tight spaces pointed to him as the most promising youth player of recent times. A meniscus injury in 2020 began an ordeal that led to four operations. He has never been the same since. His move to Monaco is the second attempt to recover him after his failed loan spell at Brighton. Six seasons in the first team: 123 games, 29 goals, and 7 assists. Loans to Brighton and Monaco.
Nico González
One of the promising youth players who arrived thanks to Xavi Hernández. His performances were optimal, and his departure the following season, on loan to Valencia, surprised many. Porto came after him and paid €8.5 million for his purchase. However, the Catalans reserved 40% of a future sale that came the following year. City paid his €60 million release clause, adding an extra €24 million in income for the Catalan club. It always seemed like he could have had a place in the Barça midfield. One season in the first team: 39 games, 2 goals, and 2 assists. €32.5 million in income from his transfers (€8.5 million from Porto and €24 million from City).
Ez Abde
The skillful Moroccan winger seemed destined for a place at Xavi Hernández's Barça, but he wasn't content with a supporting role and decided to leave the club in search of a destination where he would be an undisputed starter. His performance at Betis is improving, but it seems unlikely we'll see him wearing Barça again in the immediate future. Two seasons in the first team: 67 games, 10 goals, and 2 assists. €550,000 on loan to Osasuna and sold to Betis for €7.5 million, with a buy-back option and 50% of his rights in a future sale.
Riqui Puig
From the very first moment, he gave the impression of being the classic Barça DNA midfielder crafted at La Masía. His first appearances with the first team, after excelling in the reserve team, sparked excitement about his future. He debuted under Ernesto Valverde, but coaches—Setién, Koeman, Xavi—came in succession, and none offered him any continuity. Tired of being on the bench, he signed an unexpected transfer to Los Angeles Galaxy, thus leaving the elite too soon. Four seasons with the first team: 57 games, 2 goals, and 3 assists. He has a buy-back option and 50% of his rights in a future sale.
Carles Aleñá
A very similar case to that of Riqui Puig. He stood out very early on his arrival at the reserve team and Luis Enrique gave him his debut in the 16-17 season. He alternated between the reserve team and the first team until he entered the latter's dynamic with Valverde on the bench. He never fully developed, and after two loan spells to Betis and Getafe, the Madrid club acquired him outright. Last season he played on loan at Alavés. Five seasons in the first team: 44 games, three goals, and no assists. Sold to Getafe for €5 million and 50% of the player's rights in a future sale.
Oscar Mingueza
The Catalan defender made his first-team debut in the 20-21 season and impressed with his intensity and composure from the outset. He played regularly during his two seasons and already showed the first glimpses of what he would later demonstrate in attack. He alternated between full-back and center-back positions and grew steadily until he joined Celta Vigo in the summer of 2022, where he has further developed his attacking qualities. Two seasons with the first team: 66 appearances, two goals, and five assists. Sold to Celta Vigo for €5 million and 50% of the player's rights in a future sale.
Gerard Deulofeu
The skillful winger has been one of the great hopes of Barça's youth system in recent decades. And surely one of those who generated the greatest expectations and fell far short of them. He dazzled in the national team at youth levels and regained his form during his Premier League adventures with Everton and Watford, but he never convinced any of the managers who passed through Barça to give him a chance on a regular basis. Injuries also didn't help his career go as planned. Three seasons in the first team: 23 games, 2 goals, and 2 assists. Sold to Everton for 6 million, bought back for 12 million, and sold again to Watford for 13 million.
Munir El Haddadi
His preseason with Luis Enrique in the 14-15 season helped him secure a place in the first team after being the team's top scorer during that preparation period. He scored on his La Liga debut and soon sparked excitement about his future as a Barça player. The national team was quick to sign him to a full international so he wouldn't end up playing for Morocco. However, all those positive signs gradually faded, and he never found continuity in his three seasons in his first spell as a Barça player. Then came loan spells to Valencia and Alavés, and a brief return in the 18-19 season that also failed to bring the expected redemption. Four seasons in the first team: 56 games, 12 goals, and 9 assists. Transfer to Sevilla for €1 million.
Martín Montoya
Called to occupy the right-back position for Barça for many years, he made his debut under Guardiola and became a regular backup to Dani Alves. He performed well off the bench but, faced with the difficulty of finding a place, decided to pursue a career away from Camp Nou. He was a fixture in the youth teams of the national team and performed decently, especially at Betis, where he enjoyed two spells in which he found continuity. He spent five seasons with the first team: 67 games, two goals, and 12 assists. After several loan spells, he left for Valencia on a permanent basis.
Cristian Tello
The lightning-quick Sabadell winger made his debut under Guardiola and enjoyed continued success under Tito Vilanova and Tata Martino. However, Tello never quite established himself in the starting lineup. After loan spells with Porto and Fiorentina, he eventually signed for Real Betis. He spent three seasons in the first team: 86 appearances, 20 goals, and 14 assists. He was sold to Betis in 2017 for €4 million plus €1 million in variables.
Other cases
To this top ten of players we could add many others such as Marc Cucurella, Ilias Akhomach, José Arnáiz, Sandro Ramírez, Carles Pérez, Juan Miranda, Sergi Palencia, Sergi Samper, Jordi Masip, Arnau Tenas ... and another good handful of youth players who, due to their conditions and quality, were able to find their moment in the Barcelona first team but who finally had to look for the opportunity to remain in the elite away from the Spotify Camp Nou . Because not all the paths of La Masía lead to the first team.