15 Clubs With the Most Valuable Under-Contract Academy Graduates

No football team is complete without a capable academy. A team’s youth setup provides a sense of continuity, and can also allow for lifelong fans to progress through the ranks of their boyhood side.

In recent years, it’s felt as though there’s been greater emphasis on making big-money signings, but there’s still an opportunity for youngsters to come into the fold and make an impression. Just look at Lamine Yamal – trusted by Barcelona as a teenager, he has gone on to become one of the best players in world football, proving that faith in academy stars can sometimes lead to incredible rewards.

The La Liga giants are far from the only team to have young graduates on their books though. CIES Football Observatory have combed through teams across the world, scoping out how many academy players are still under contract at their respective clubs, before ranking teams by how valuable their totals are. Here’s a closer look at the top 15.

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Clubs With Most Valuable Academy Graduates Under Contract: 15-11

It’s a club who are renowned for their reliance on talented academy players who kick off the top 15. A number of the world’s best players have come through the Ajax production line, and their 18 under-contract graduates are estimated to have a total worth of around £101m. However, they trail fractionally behind fellow Eredivisie side, AZ Alkmaar.

Inter Milan sit in 13th place, mainly thanks to one player doing a substantial amount of heavy lifting when it comes to overall worth. Young striker Francesco Pio Esposito’s valuation makes up 65% of CIES’ estimates for the Nerazzurri’s academy stars, with a further 10 still being on the books at the San Siro.

Falling just outside the top 10, though, are two clubs who are steeped in rivalry. Both Porto and Sporting CP have brought an array of young talents through their respective youth setups and into their senior team, and while the former boasts the more expensive graduate, it’s the Leoes who have the higher total value. The 21 current and former youth-team players plying their trade at the Estadio Jose Alvalade are collectively worth an impressive £122m.

Clubs With Most Valuable Academy Graduates Under Contract: 10-6

REUTERS/David Klein

Fernando Torrez and Raul are just two legendary players to come through Atletico Madrid’s academy, but Diego Simeone’s side still have multiple youth products still at the club. Young midfielder Pablo Barrios is the most valuable of the lot, but one-club legend Koke remains at the Wanda Metropolitano too.

Atleti trail some way behind Paris Saint-Germain, who frequently produce some of the best French talents in world football. Warren Zaire-Emery and Senny Mayulu both remain on their books, but it’s worth noting that the likes of Xavi Simons and Christopher Nkunku both developed in the French capital too, before going on to shine in other elite European leagues.

It’s not surprising to see either Athletic Club or Real Sociedad in the top 10 when it comes to most valuable academy players, considering that both clubs operate a strict policy of only signing players from the Basque region. Sociedad’s total of 37 under-contract academy players is the most out of any club included by CIES, although their collective worth is fractionally smaller than their local rivals.

Many Chelsea fans might have expected the Blues to at least be in the top five, considering that Cobham is regarded as one of the best youth facilities in the world. But since the change in ownership at the club, multiple home-grown talents have been moved on for pure profit to accommodate outlandish spending. Out of the 12 former youth players who are still at the club, Levi Colwill is estimated to be the most valuable at £58m.

Clubs With Most Valuable Academy Graduates Under Contract: 5-1

Arsenal have cemented their status as one of the most dominant teams in the world right now. And while the Gunners have spent big money on several players, they also have several talented academy graduates they can call upon. Myles Lewis-Skelly and Bukayo Saka are just two professionals to come through Hale End, with their total valuation of £204m the fifth most out of any team here.

Real Madrid’s La Fabrica might be one of the most infamous youth setups, but their 11 under-contract academy graduates are still behind three teams, including Bayern Munich. Jamal Musiala is one of 16 former youngsters still playing at the Allianz Arena, with the Bavarian production line continuing to roll out top talents.

Settling for second place right now is Manchester City, with Pep Guardiola’s side employing the likes of Nico O’Reilly, Rico Lewis and Phil Foden too, three players who can all make a difference to the Premier League side. But they, along with every other team in this list, are way behind Barcelona, who sit in first place.

La Masia is well-known by football fans at this point, with the conveyor belt of talent seemingly never ending. Having given rise to the likes of Xavi, Segio Busquets, Andres Iniesta and Lionel Messi among countless others, Lamine Yamal is the latest superstar to go from talented prodigy to worldbeater. Still only 18-years-old, CIES value him at £290m, while the other 21 remaining academy graduates still at the Camp Nou are worth a further £349m. It’s commendable that Barcelona not only help develop so many young stars, but that they also retain so many of them too.