5 players who can shape a new era at Barcelona

All good things must come to an end and this statement has never been more relevant than at the present time. While we adapt to having our freedom taken away through the coronavirus crisis we must accept that our game will look very different when normal order is finally restored.

One such change appears set to take place at Barcelona as the Catalan giants come to terms with the fact that their current squad features a number of ageing players who remain key figures in the starting line-up for Quique Setién’s team. Luis Suárez (33), Gerard Piqué (33), Jordi Alba (31), Arturo Vidal (32), Sergio Busquets (31), Ivan Rakitić (32), and even the great Lionel Messi (32) are all reaching the latter stages of their playing careers.

Expectations remain high at the Camp Nou even during a period of transition

But, while there is an impending past for this current generation, there is also an exciting future for others. While many continue to reminisce about Xavi Hernández and Andrés Iniesta running the midfield for club and country, the game does not stand still, and once we return to more familiar proceedings, we must accept that there will be a less-than-familiar look to the Catalan club.

However, there is excitement attached to the potential of this new era. Finding the right balance is key for Setién if he is to deliver the instant success demanded by the club, regardless of any necessary time of transition. Developing young players in an environment of such high-pressure and expectations will not be easy but this is the challenge that he must embrace in order to ensure maximum return.

Here, we take an in-depth look at five talents who can form the cornerstone of the future Barcelona side.

#1 Ansu Fati

One of the most-talented young players of his generation, Fati has already racked up a string of domestic and European records for the Blaugrana. Granted Spanish citizenship in September 2019, the forward appears destined for a long and successful career for both club and country and, despite still being just 17, he has shown enough quality to establish himself in this Barcelona side on merit.

But while his obvious ability is not in question, he also has the potential to get a lot better, and learning from the likes of Messi and Suárez over the next couple of years will offer him a valuable education. Arriving at La Masia in 2012, Fati already has the necessary appreciation and understanding of what it means to represent the Catalan club.

But there is also a hunger instilled in Fati from his father, Bori. From the early struggle to survive on the streets of Seville, Bori provided a platform for his two sons to flourish in the sport they love, and it is that appreciation for the challenges that has made this opportunity possible that will continue to ensure that Fati does not take his status for granted.

The youngest goalscorer in the history of the UEFA Champions League at 17 years and 40 days, his winning goal at the San Siro against Inter Milan last December announced him to the world. However, his potential was already apparent to those with an interest in the Catalan giants and he is destined to play an important role at the Camp Nou in the short and long term.

Manager Quique Setién has a big challenge ahead at Barcelona

The challenge for Setién is to use his prodigious talent effectively. Many young players have folded under the weight of early expectation, and there will be periods where Fati struggles with his form and confidence. It does not make him a bad player, but it is an important stage in the development of any young footballer and how he survives this intense scrutiny will be the true test of his character.

#2 Riqui Puig

Riqui Puig is an exciting and creative talent

Catalonia will always support and celebrate one of their own in any circumstances, but the fact that Riqui Puig offers a noticeable creative flair in his attacking game suggests that he has all the potential to become a firm favourite at the Camp Nou. From the municipality of Matadepera, it was naturally a dream for Puig to first wear the colours of his club which was realised on his senior debut against Cultural Leonesa in the Copa Del Rey back in December 2018.

Joining the ranks of the esteemed La Masia in 2013, Puig is another who has been schooled in the values of the club, and this is only emphasised through his background which foregrounds an early appreciation for the importance of Catalonia in the wider political situation of Spanish culture. Puig is a proud representative of Barcelona and Catalonia, and it is a combination that bring patience from the most passionate of culés.

Although some would consider Puig’s style of play to be something of a luxury, there is natural talent in his ability that is matched by his confidence to show his potential on the biggest stage. He takes risks in his game, and while this approach will inevitably lead to mistakes, this will serve Puig well as his career at the Camp Nou progresses.

How Puig will fit into Setién’s system is yet to be established, and he is likely to remain on the fringes in the near future, with cameo appearances from the bench providing his only opportunity to showcase what he has to offer. At the age of 20, Puig is an exciting talent. While earning and retaining his place in this Barcelona side will be difficult, the fact that he is a local boy is an element to the story that makes pursuing a career at the Camp Nou the stuff of pure football fantasy.

#3 Ousmane Dembélé

Ousmane Dembélé already has the presence of a senior figure at Barcelona

The names of people who have already handed out plaudits to Ousmane Dembélé read like a who’s who at the Camp Nou. Iniesta and Messi have spoken publicly about the talent and ability that the French international possesses, and he has already amassed a wealth of experience for both club and country. Messi has described the versatile star as a ‘phenomenon’, and such high praise is not distributed lightly.

Although he is still only 22, Dembélé has been playing senior club football since 2015, starting his career with Rennes in his native France. The German Bundesliga is currently considered to be an important league in developing young talent, and it provided Dembélé with a platform when he arrived at Borussia Dortmund in May 2016. It was a move that immediately attracted interest in his services from across the football world.

A significant transfer fee brought Dembélé to the Camp Nou the following summer, and while it compensated for the departure of Neymar, it also added to the pressure placed upon him to perform to the highest of standards with immediate effect. His versatility means that he will command a place in the Barcelona starting line-up, but the biggest challenge facing him could be his concerning injury record.

With the complete arsenal of tools available in his game, the praise he has received is deserved, and if he can put his injury problems behind him, he will be a vital player for Barcelona in the very near future. Dembélé has the potential to lead this next generation through the course of the next decade, and his early exposure to the pressure and expectancy that comes naturally to the club will make him mentally stronger in facing the challenges that will inevitably come his way

#4 Frenkie de Jong

Frenkie de Jong was wanted by a host of top European clubs

Described by Dutch legend Marc Overmars as a player with the potential to become the next Xavi or Iniesta, a move to Barcelona was always destined for the prodigious talent that is Frenkie de Jong. Still only 22, the midfielder has earned himself rave reviews with his performances for former club Ajax in the UEFA Champions League last season, and a move to one of the prominent forces in the European game became increasingly inevitable.

Ajax have a tradition of nurturing young talent, and with an early appreciation over just how good De Jong could be, no chances were taken as he was gradually introduced and protected as he made the step-up to the senior game. The position that Dde Jong finds himself most comfortable requires a high-degree of maturity, and his ability to read the game has been a catalyst to the attention that he has attracted.

Just how De Jong develops at Barcelona will depend on his character and his ability to deal with the pressure and expectation that comes from the intensity of performing consistently at the Camp Nou. There is a tradition of Dutch talent that defines certain eras at this club and while he still has a long way to go to emulate figures like the great John Cruyff, it is that yardstick that should provide his biggest incentive and inspiration as he takes hold of this particular baton.

Building a new generation at Barcelona requires the right balance, and it is the versatility of de Jong in his central position that ensures he can grow as his experience of domestic and European competition increases. Others may develop at a faster pace, but there is a creativity combined with his defensive strengths that could make him a more valuable commodity to this side in this time of transition. He may not grab the headlines like others who will be a part of this new era but his true value will be in how much he is missed when he is not there.

#5 Arthur Melo

Arthur Melo has an important role to play in leading Barcelona through this new era

Of course, no generation of Barcelona would be complete without some South American influence, and it is the talented Arthur Melo who can provide this particular cultural element. A product of the Grêmio youth system in Brazil, Arthur attracted a host of potential suitors from across Europe prior to his arrival at the Camp Nou on a lucrative six-year contract in the summer of 2018. The investment in his services displayed a clear belief that the midfielder is one for the future.

Melo is another young talent who has earned great praise from his midfield predecessors at the Camp Nou. Xavi has already stated that he can define an era at Barcelona and the comparisons in their respective playing styles emphasise the value of that particular statement. Iniesta has also offered similar plaudits to the 23-year old, and when our game returns, it will be at a pivotal time in his career.

Complementing his performances at the Camp Nou will be his selection for the Brazil national team, and while that double-pressure will test even the strongest of characters, Arthur’s grounding in the Brazilian domestic game rather than La Masia will have provided him with a different perspective on such matters compared with the majority of his peers. While he might not yet have Barcelona in his heart, he has all the traits that define the South American game, and that will be a unique element in this new era at the club.

Although Arthur is not as young as the teenage prodigies mentioned, it is always about finding the right balance. The senior players in the squad have a responsibility to lead and ensure that these players maximise their potential in the same way that Pep Guardiola envisaged which players from La Masia would eventually retire him as he reached the final years of his playing career at the club. The next generation are currently in good hands, but this is a crucial stage in their careers, and it is also a crucial stage for the short and long-term future of the club.