1.Jonathan Dos Santos (Central/Defensive Midfielder):

The young Mexican international has been on the brink of the Barcelona first team for quite a while now. Dos Santos was spotted by the La Masia scouts in a tournament in France where he was competing with his elder brother Giovani and hasn’t looked back after he signed for Barca. He has been a regular member of Guardiola’s pre-season tours and has also featured in 16 first team matches, the most recent being the final group stage match in the Champions League. The central midfielder has also been deployed at right-back which shows the young man’s versatility at such a tender age. Santos recently penned a contract extension which will keep him at Nou Camp until 2015 and has a buy-out clause of €30 million, which re-affirms the faith shown by the club in this gifted player. With Seydou Keita not getting any younger, Dos Santos could prove to be an able back-up for Sergio Busquets in the years to come.

2.Carles Planas (Left-back):

The 19-year-old started his footballing career playing for his hometown club Sant Celoni before been snapped up by Barcelona’s youth system at the age of 10. Unlike his namesake, Planas operates as a left fullback and has progressed through the ranks and was deservedly given his opportunity after being promoted to the B team in 2009. He was a part of Spain U-21 team that won the European Championships earlier this year. Planas has been plagued by injuries on numerous occasions in the past, but is now fully fit and has set his sights on showcasing his immense talent. One for the future? Certainly.

3.Martin Montoya (Right-back):

The lanky right full back joined the La Masia at the age of 9. Now 20, Montoya has carved a niche for himself in the Barcelona B setup where he was highly rated by former coach Luis Enrique. His performances for the B team earned him a place in the Spain U-21 squad and soon after was called up for the senior team for friendlies against Chile and Liechtenstein. He scored his first senior goal in the 4-0 win over BATE Borisov. Despite having made only a solitary appearance this season, Montoya is a wanted man at Barcelona and has signed an extension until 2014. With Daniel Alves ever present as a mentor, Montoya can only grow in stature, and could well resolve Barcelona’s problems in the right-back department.

4.Marc Bartra (Centre-back):

The 5ft 11inch centre-back has gone on to become the backbone of Barcelona B’s defence. At just 20, Bartra has made more than 70 appearances and is the academy’s most experienced player and is a regular starter in the Spain U-21 team. He is quick and agile, and has all the attributes to be a direct replacement for their iconic skipper Carles Puyol. However, Guardiola has preferred to use his defensive midfielders as makeshift centre-backs instead of opting for the exuberance of youth. His contract runs upto 2014 and be rest assured, Bartra’s time will come sooner rather than later.

5.Francisco ‘Kiko’ Femenia (Winger):

Kiko joined Barcelona B in the summer of 2011 from Hercules for a fee in the region of €2 million plus 1.5 in variables. The winger made 71 appearances for Hercules, netting 5 goals and helping the side return to the La Liga after 13 years. Kiko recently was called to Spain’s U-20 team, which shows his progress as a player. He scored his first goal for the youth team in a 4–0 away win against FC Cartagena. As a winger, he is unlikely to get an immediate call-up to the first team considering the number of attacking options available in the squad. Having said that, one would expect him to break into the first team by the end of this season.

According to me, these are five potential players who could make the cut this season. If you would like to see any other player apart from this compilation, feel free to drop your thoughts and opinions in the comments box.

0 votes