7 La Masia Graduates Who Returned to Barcelona, From Fabregas to Pique

• La Masia has produced some of the greatest footballers of all time
• Graduates from the academy have gone on to play for Barcelona, but some left due to a lack of opportunities
• Some returned after succeeding elsewhere and Sports Brief looks at some of them

La Masia is arguably the greatest football academy in the world. It has produced legendary footballers like Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Carles Puyol, Sergio Busquets, Victor Valdes, Gerard Pique, and, yes, Lionel Messi too.

These are the player who got to play for Barcelona. Others had to find opportunities elsewhere.

The La Liga champions are set to sign Oriol Romeu from Girona, making him the latest La Masia graduate to return to the club.

Other players went on to make it big, far away from Barcelona, but some found their way home like Romeu. La Masia has helped Barcelona become one of the best sides in football. Moreover, when you produce the GOAT of football, your academy is probably the best.

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Sports Brief looks at the top La Masia graduates who returned to the club after years of playing for other teams.

7 La Masia graduates who returned

Cesc Fabregas

Fabregas recently retired after a glittering career for Barcelona, Arsenal, and Chelsea. He left La Masia in 2003 for Arsenal, and by 2004, he was a starter for Arsenal in the Premier League. He played seven seasons for the Gunners and then returned to Barcelona in 2011. He played three seasons for the Catalan giants before he was sold to Chelsea.

In total, he made 350 Premier League appearances in the Premier League, per Transfermarkt. He failed to win the Champions League with Barcelona but retired with a World Cup and two European Championships medals.

Gerard Pique

Pique retired as one of the greatest center-backs in the 21st century. He was a key player for Barcelona during their dominance in La Liga and Europe. He was also vital for Spain in their successful 2010 World Cup campaign.

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He joined Manchester United in 2004 but left for Barcelona in 2007, a club he represented for the rest of his career. His resume is perfect. He announced his retirement in 2022 on Instagram.

Jordi Alba

Alba was released by Barcelona in 2005 and had to work hard to improve his game. He was picked up by the Catalan side Cornella before Valencia signed him.

Barca resigned him in 2012, helping him become the best left back in the world. He was part of the team that won the 2015 treble. He left the club at the end of last season.

Hector Bellerin

Bellerin left La Masia in 2011 and joined Arsenal, where he made his name. The 28-year-old joined Real Betis in 2021 on loan then the Gunners agreed to terminate his contract to allow him to join Barcelona in 2022.

The right-back made just seven appearances for the La Liga giants before his contract was terminated once again. He briefly played for Sporting Lisbon earlier this year and is now a free agent.

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Adama Traore

Before tormenting Premier League defenders, Traore was at La Masia and even played for the Barcelona senior team before joining Aston Villa in 2015, and then Middlesbrough in 2018 before Wolves signed him.

Barca signed him on loan in January 2022, and he made a mark in the first few games. He then regressed badly, forcing Barca to decline the option to sign him permanently. He is now a free agent.

Gerard Deulofeu

Deulofeu failed to live up to the hype after graduating from La Masia. He struggled for game time and was shipped to Everton on loan in 2013. Barca then sold him permanently to the Toffees in 2015 and then bought him back in 2017 before selling him six months later.

He made just 12 La Liga appearances. At 29, he has made 350 appearances in his career which isn't bad at all.

Luis Garcia

After graduating from La Masia, Garcia was loaned out several times before the Blaugrana decided to sell him permanently to Liverpool in 2004. He reunited with Rafael Benitez, and they both won the 2005 Champions League title.

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He returned to Atletico Madrid in 2007 before playing for different clubs across the world. He retired in 2016.

Eric Garcia also recently returned to Barcelona after winning one Premier League title.

Romeu returns to Barcelona

Sports Brief earlier reported that Oriol Romeu was edging closer to joining Barcelona from Girona.

An agreement has reportedly been reached between the two clubs, and it will see Pablo Torre going the other way on a season-long loan.

Romeu has over 200 appearances in the Premier League and brings a wealth of experience to the La Liga champions.