FC Barcelona is much more than a club. Its identity is deeply linked to La Masia, the legendary academy that has given soccer some of the best players in history. From Lionel Messi to Xavi Hernández, through Andrés Iniesta, Sergio Busquets, or Gerard Piqué, all have emerged from the blaugrana youth academy.
In recent years, La Masia has continued to produce top-level talent. Lamine Yamal, Pau Cubarsí, Héctor Fort, and Fermín López are recent examples of young players who have burst into the first team with strength. These footballers not only stand out for their technical quality but also for their understanding of the game and their adaptation to Barça's style.
The club has bet on a model based on training, developing players with a very marked soccer DNA. Tiki-taka style, positional play, and tactical intelligence are concepts that young players absorb from a young age. However, not all youth players have the patience to wait for their opportunity.
The dilemma of young players: stay or seek minutes elsewhere
In a club of Barça's magnitude, it is not easy to make one's way. The competition is fierce, and many times young players must wait years to establish themselves in the first team. Faced with this reality, some talents from La Masia decide to seek minutes in other leagues and teams.
This is a phenomenon that has been repeated on multiple occasions. Players with great potential have chosen to leave before establishing themselves at Camp Nou. Some have succeeded and proven their worth outside of Spain, while others have ended up returning after showing their quality at other clubs.
One of the clearest examples is Dani Olmo. The talented attacking midfielder left La Masia to seek opportunities at Dinamo Zagreb before signing for RB Leipzig. His growth was such that Barça tried to recover him, and after several years in Germany, he finally returned to Camp Nou in 2024.
Another emblematic case is Cesc Fàbregas. He left Barça in his adolescence to join Arsène Wenger's Arsenal, where he became captain and a team reference. However, years later, his desire to return home came true, and he returned to Barça in 2011.
These examples show that it is not always a definitive farewell. Many young players leave, but some end up returning when they are ready to succeed at Camp Nou.
He is leaving for Qatar
One of the latest cases of a young promise deciding to pack his bags is Pau Prim. According to journalist Fabrizio Romano, the midfielder born in 2006 has received a significant offer from Al Sadd in Qatar. Negotiations are advanced for him to leave Barça immediately.
Pau Prim is a midfielder with great vision of the game and quality in ball distribution. He has been one of the most promising names from La Masia, but the lack of opportunities in the first team has led him to accept a new challenge.
Al Sadd, a team that has been managed by legends like Xavi Hernández, has set its sights on the young blaugrana talent. At the Qatari club, Pau Prim will have the opportunity to play regularly and develop in a different context. He will be very far away from elite European soccer, however.
His departure leaves a bittersweet feeling at Barça. On one hand, it is a loss of talent that could have been useful in the future. On the other hand, it shows that more and more players are willing to take alternative paths in search of minutes and recognition.
Time will tell if Pau Prim follows in the footsteps of Dani Olmo or Fàbregas and ends up returning to Barça more mature and established. For now, his adventure in Qatar is a reality.