5 Barcelona Academy Players to Watch out for in 2014/15

Barcelona's famed La Masia has produced numerous brilliant players, many of whom are still lighting up La Liga today.

Here we take a look at the next generation of players coming through.

However, the Catalan giants have so many young talents on the rise that there needs to be some semblance of order to how we pick the Top Five academy players to watch.

It's a reasonable assumption that readers don't need to hear about the stars who have already broken through, such as Sandro Ramirez, Munir El Haddadi and Sergi Samper.

So with that in mind, any player that has already featured for the first team this season will not be included.

Furthermore, some of Barcelona B's more established talents, such as Alen Halilovic and Adama Traore need no introduction, so this list focuses on some of the less well-known players you should keep an eye on.

Forward: Maxi Rolon

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Maxi Rolon is a hot prospect.

A young forward who can play across the attack, 19-year-old Maxi Rolon is a bright prospect who is most comfortable on the right.

He is a good finisher and suited to the modern pressing game.

Maxi Rolon joined Barcelona in 2010 and helped the club win the UEFA Youth League and youth Liga at U18 level last season.

Born in Rosario, the same city as Lionel Messi, the Argentine may never reach the very top level but certainly has enough about him at this early stage to suggest he could force his way into the side in a few years, should he continue to develop.

Midfielder: Oriol Busquets

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Oriol Busquets in action for a Spain youth team.

No, we haven't included him just because his name is a cross between Sergio Busquets and Oriol Romeu. 

However, like his two namesakes, he is a defensive midfielder who can also play further back if required to.

He has a decent shot from distance, but his main role is controlling the game and breaking up opposition attacks.

But what may hold him back is out of his hands; in Sergi Samper, Barcelona already have a natural successor to Sergio Busquets' defensive-midfield slot.

Busquets is some way behind Samper, as you would expect given the gap in ages (15 and 19 respectively).

If you were to compare Busquets to another player who has also worn the Blagurana, however, it would not be the man who currently wears Barcelona's No. 5 shirt.

Instead, it would be Yaya Toure, currently of Manchester City, given the youngster's propensity to move forward with the ball.

Defender: Rodrigo Tarin

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Rodrigo Tarin goes in for a tackle.

Rodrigo Tarin scored in the UEFA Youth League final but netting goals isn't his speciality; keeping them out is. 

The centre-back played a key role in that triumph and was a commanding presence at the back for the club's Juvenil A side.

At 18, he already shows strong leadership skills, and with Barcelona's current centre-backs far from spring chickens—bar Marc Bartra—he could be pushing his way into the first team before too long.

He is a right-footer but is comfortable playing on the left-hand side of the two centre-backs.

Midfielder: Wilfrid Kaptoum

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Wilfrid Kaptoum running the show.

Cameroonian central midfielder Wilfrid Kaptoum is one of the biggest Masia prospects today. 

If you were to compare him to another Barcelona midfielder it would be current Bayern Munich star Thiago Alcantara.

Adept at both defensive duties and going forward, there is much to admire about Wilfrid Kaptoum's game.

At 18 years old, he can't be too far away from becoming a star with Barcelona B, where he was promoted to this summer.

With a gentle touch and an eye for a pass, expect to see a lot more of Kaptoum in the coming seasons.

He came through the Samuel Eto'o Foundation, drawing comparisons with Real Madrid great Zinedine Zidane.

Forward: Seung-Woo Lee

Seung-Woo Lee won't be the easiest Barcelona academy player to watch out for, given that FIFA banned him from featuring for Blaugrana sides because of the way he was transferred to the club.

FIFA say that he can only play in friendlies for the club until he turns 18 because he moved from Korea to Catalonia in an illegitimate way, per Pete Jenson in the Daily Mail.

He has an incredible goal rate that outstrips Lionel Messi at the same age, and he recently lit up the U16 Asian Championships, being voted the MVP for South Korea.

Lee scored an incredible solo goal against Malaysia before supplying four assists against Syria in the semi-finals.

He finished the tournament as top scorer and is arguably the greatest hope Barca have in their academy system right now.