Pedri, Gavi, Balde and now Yamal - Xavi's new generation of Barcelona stars

Barcelona fans were given a further glimpse into the plans head coach Xavi and the club as a whole have in store for their squad going forward, following a statement on Monday morning that confirmed a new contract for 16-year-old talent Lamine Yamal. The young winger has been an unexpected addition to the LaLiga club’s first team this season and as such now earned himself a contract extension that is set to run until the summer of 2026, alongside a €1 billion release clause.

Yilmaz made his senior debut late last season, when he came off the bench against Real Betis in may to become the youngest player in LaLiga history at just 15 years and 290 days old. He then broke another record earlier this season, when the winger became the youngest starter in league history at the age of 16 years and 38 days of age. And in many ways the young talent and his growing involvement in the first team is just the latest example of the huge changes Xavi has already made to this team.

Average age of 25.8 - Xavi’s next generation of stars

Indeed, Yilmaz’s remarkable breakthrough into the first team at Barcelona would be a special moment for most clubs but for the Spanish side it seems to be just another example of how Xavi is trying to transition his team towards the next generation of stars. And in many ways the young head coach is well underway in his attempts to rejuvenate the LaLiga giants into a young and extremely talented group of players.

For example, while Yilmaz may not rank among Barcelona’s most valuable players yet, he does join a growing number of young players that are taking on more senior roles in Xavi’s side. Alongside the young winger are Pedri (€100 million), Gavi (€90m) and Alejandro Balde (€50m). In fact, when we add slightly older players like Ronald Araújo (€70m) and Jules Koundé (€60m) to this new class of players it indicates that five of Barcelona’s top 10 most valuable players are all under the age of 25.

What makes that even more striking and impressive is the fact that not only can Barcelona lay claim to the ninth most valuable squad in European football - with a market value of €814m - but that it also boasts the fifth youngest average age in all of LaLiga. And, notably, a younger age than Real Madrid have averaged this year. Whether or not Xavi’s team are capable of challenging among the best in Europe remains to be seen, but his team are certainly full of plenty of potential and could improve dramatically over the coming years.