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#3 Riqui Puig | FC Barcelona
Riqui Puig is the first player on this list still contracted to Barcelona. His steep rise from being a La Masia mainstay to a contender for the starting spot in the first team has been nothing short of remarkable. The 21-year-old playmaker possesses a distinct kind of mentality, perfectly suited for the Blaugrana.
A regular starter under the stewardship of Quique Setien, Puig was one of the few shining lights in the Spanish manager's torrid half season at Barcelona's helm. Following a change in personnel, the visionary dribbler found himself on the fringes of the squad. New boss Ronald Koeman has preferred fellow La Masian, Ilaix Moriba, over the much more experienced Catalan.
Nevertheless, Puig has capitalized on the rare opportunities provided to him, energizing the otherwise monotonous midfield every time he steps on the pitch. A Barcelona trooper through and through, Puig will be looking to recapture his La Masia form to gain some valuable minutes this season. He will hope this will be the year he gets to properly kickstart his career with Barcelona.
#2 Dani Olmo | RB Leipzig
Having spent seven years contracted to La Masia, Dani Olmo made a shocking move to Dinamo Zagreb in 2014, aged just 16. A move that could've restricted his career to the obscurities of the Croatian top-flight turned out to be a blessing in disguise.
Olmo's stellar performances in the national league won him the Best Player of Prva HNL in 2018. Another convincing year in the league, combined with a couple of consistent seasons in Europe, earned him a move to new German heavyweight RB Leipzig.
Signed up for an initial fee of €22m, the Spaniard currently boasts a career-high value of €50m. Olmo's productive debut season at the Red Bull Arena saw him contribute to 19 goals in all competitions. The 23-year-old creative midfielder was subsequently drafted into Luis Enrique's squad for Euro 2020. Olmo impressed once again by providing three assists in Spain's run to the semi-finals.
Interest from Real Madrid and his former club Barcelona poured in after the La Masia alumnus admitted he would like to move back to Spain in the future. Olmo has undeniable talent and his versatility would definitely benefit whichever team he chooses to sign for in the upcoming seasons.
#1 Ansu Fati | FC Barcelona
Ansu Fati was arguably the most obvious choice for first-place, given the list of his accolades at such a young age. In his maiden season with the Blaugrana, Fati managed to find the net seven times in a total of 24 league appearances. He also became Barcelona's youngest debutant as well as goal-scorer in La Liga.
He replicated this feat in the Champions League, coming on for Lionel Messi in a match against Dortmund aged just 16. 40 days after his 17th birthday, the La Masian became the youngest player to score in a UCL match, netting the winner against Inter Milan. Considering his generational potential and sizzling form, Barcelona spent no time in promoting the Guinean native to the first team.
Fati's four league goals ranked him as Barca's fourth top-scorer in the league in 2020-21, even though he played his last match in November 2020. After almost a year on the sidelines, the La Masia prodigy is set to return to the top stage before the commencement of the 2021-22 season. Fati has more than enough time to cash in on a promising start with the former Golden Boy nominee looking to revamp his career once again at the age of 18.
Also read: Ranking the 10 worst Barcelona transfers in the last decade
