BarcelonaIn Koeman’s last starting team against Getafe, only four players were from La Masia. Gone is November 25, 2012, when Tito Vilanova fulfilled the dream of an eleven with home players. Over the years, the nursery had lost weight. Now the recovery of Ansu, the return of Eric Garcia and a generation of 99 with four players in the first team seems to indicate that La Masia can once again be an emblem. In fact, Laporta’s management has already asked Koeman to do so. But before the Riqui, Mingueza and Peña, in La Masia the generation of 98 shone, already without any representative within the club and that, with the signing of Cucurella in the Premier, is moving further and further away from the Camp Nou.
Dani Olmo, from Terrassa –like Xavi Hernández–, a brilliant midfielder at La Masia –also like Xavi–, left Barça in July 2014. He accepted the challenge of Dinamo Zagreb, where at the age of twenty he was named MVP of the Croatian League. A talent that Barça let slip for free and, faced with the option of replaying it, ended up choosing Francisco Trincão. In the 2020 winter market, Olmo traded Croatia for Germany and signed for RB Leipzig for 22 million euros. Four days later, Barça paid 31 to sign Trincão’s signing. Olmo is an important piece for Luis Enrique in the national team and the big clubs in Europe are behind him. If the Terrassa native moves from Leipzig, where he feels at home, many will be interested in one of the most valuable players of his generation on a world scale. One of them, Barça, has already moved to try to recover.
The cases of Aleñá and Cucurella
The next to leave Barça in the 1998 generation was Marc Cucurella. In 2018 he was transferred to Eibar and has not worn Barça again. In fact, Eibar bought him from Barça and, a month later, Barça bought him back from Eibar to transfer him to Getafe. With this operation, Barça then lost money because Eibar executed the purchase option for 2 million euros and forced Barça to pay 4 to recover it. In Getafe, under the orders of Bordalás –now in Valencia–, he continued to grow as a footballer. Last summer, the Madrid club made the 10 million purchase option effective, after Bartomeu’s board made some changes to the contract that would have meant more money for Barça at present.
And it is that Cucurella has changed Madrid for the Premier. Brighton have paid around 18 million for the Catalan, of which Barça will receive 10%. Initially, Barça had to receive 40% if Getafe sold Cucurella, but the previous board changed it. They sold Cucurella for 10 million instead of 6, but lowering the percentage of a future sale from 40% to 10%. In total, Cucurella has left about 10 million euros to Barça.
Carles Aleñá has been the eternal relief in the middle of the field that has never been able to consolidate. The start was unbeatable – goal in the debut – but he did not manage to make a place in the team with Valverde and two seasons ago he left on loan to Betis. Half a year of green-and-white served to accumulate regularity in the League, but Koeman did not want it and was then transferred to Getafe, also in mid-season. This summer, the Madrid club has paid 5 million euros to incorporate the midfielder into its ranks. However, Barça have reserved 50% of their future sale, a repurchase option and the right to try on any offer received by the Madrid team.
The namesake of Aleñá, Carles Pérez left 12 million to Barça when he signed for Roma. His passage through the first team was fleeting, because he played thirteen games there. During his formative years he turned down offers to leave Barça until it was the club, in need of income, who invited him to leave.
Four of the stars of the 98 generation have only left 27 million at Can Barça. Cucurella is heading for the Premier League after having already made his debut with the Spanish national team. Elm shines with Leipzig. Aleñá wants to continue being a first-class player, while Carles Pérez, away from the Camp Nou due to the club’s financial problems, is looking for a second chance in elite football in Rome, now at the hands of José Mourinho.
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