Over the years, Barcelona’s La Masia youth academy has become world-renowned for the plethora of exciting talents it has produced. From Andres Iniesta to Lionel Messi, from Carles Puyol to Xavi, there have been so many big stars that have come out of the famed school and have gone on to become huge names in the world of football.
So much so that, many clubs across Europe, have over the years tried to emulate a structure and the philosophy that has been followed at the Catalan side’s academy. And English club Tottenham Hotspur also belong to this category. The Spurs manager, Mauricio Pochettino, earlier this season went on record stating his admiration for the way the La Masia operates and also said that he was intending to establish a similar culture at the White Hart Lane.
Keeping that in mind, we take a look at three former La Masia graduates who Tottenham could look to sign in the transfer window to further their title bid this season:
Munir El Haddadi
The 21-year old is one of the finest young prospects to have come out of the La Masia in recent times. Munir burst onto the scene last season with some eye-catching displays for Barca, but ended up moving to Valencia in the summer of 2016, following the arrival of Paco Alcacer.
Having joined the Los Che, Munir has found it hard to establish himself as a regular first-team player but has shown glimpses of his immense potential each time he has been called upon. The Spaniard has made 16 appearances for Valencia this term, across all competitions, only half of which have been starts, and has scored four goals and also has one assist to his name.
A striker by trade, Munir has also shown adaptability on the flanks and has shown all signs of becoming a superstar in the future. Intelligent, fast and technically sound, he could be a fine addition to the youthful talent at Tottenham.