On today's edition of wonderkid factories we're taking a trip back to Spain to take a look at cash strapped Valencia. The fourth most supported club in Spain has over 50,000 season ticket holders and 20,000 more on the waiting list.
Los murcielagos have had their fair share of success in Spanish football winning 6 La Liga's, 8 Copa del Rey's and a UEFA Cup but they are most famed for the global reputation of their prolific youth academy "Academia".
The academy's training centre opened in 2009 and is multidisciplinary (the first of its kind in Spain). It offers university education and classroom training to do with sport and football and the club is even the subject of a course at the University of Valencia.
Part of Valencia's youth success is to do with their ability to impart their methodology and style onto their young players. To make sure that the club is known globally, they have set up academies all over the world with three in North America, three in Asia and one in Africa. This has been very successful in drawing international players to the clubs main academy in the shape of
Lee Kang-In and
Yunus Musah.
But in general the club has been wonderfully effective at developing their own Spanish players through their academy. Rafa Benitez made great effect of this during the club's historic double season of 2003/04 but the club has failed to really replicate that success since.
That is in part due to the financial restrictions that the club has been suffering from for nearly a decade. The club was bought by Peter Lim in 2014, who also holds a stake in Salford City, and has endured some of its worst results in modern history since then.
In fact, Valencia have been trying to move from their near century old home, Mestalla, to the Nou Mestalla but due to a lack of money and contracting difficulties the stadium has never been finished.
Despite that though the club has continued to pump out youth players including the likes of
Ferran Torres,
Carlos Soler,
Jose Gaya, Isco,
Paco Alcacer,
Juan Bernat, Raul Albiol, Gaizka Mendieta,
David Silva and
Jordi Alba.
As always we've also taken a look at some future stars that might yet come out of Valencia's academy.
Cristhian Mosquera (Centre Back)
The 17-year-old has made the jump up to Valencia's U19 team this season and has also appeared for Spain's U18's three times already. Mosquera is very talented but is also half Colombian so could eventually switch international allegiances if Spain don't pick him.
Koba Koindredi (Central Midfielder)
The 19-year-old is one of Valencia's foreign pickups coming from France and made his first team debut in La Liga last season against Granada. Koindredi has also appeared for France's U19's and appears to be a serious talent.
Yunus Musah (Winger)
We mentioned Musah earlier and for good reason. He was picked up from Arsenal on a free two years ago and despite playing for England at all their youth levels, he has declared to play for the USA and made six appearances already. Musah is also a regular feature for Valencia and has the prestigious honour of being an FM wonderkid.
