Who is Txus Alba, Barcelona’s newest La Masia gem?
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Recent seasons have seen Barcelona churn out some exciting young talent from La Masia. Txus Alba is one of them. Ansu Fati has become a household name across Europe and is widely regarded as one of the most gifted young prospects in the game even though his development has been disrupted by injuries over the past year.
Ilaix Moriba showed plenty of potential after bursting onto the scenes under Ronald Koeman last year, although he ended up leaving for RB Leipzig in the summer and has since seen his fortunes dwindle. The ongoing campaign has seen the emergence of Gavi and Nico Gonzalez as key members of the Barça first-team setup despite their tender age and lack of experience.
Soon enough, the fans could be treated to another young prospect, an ‘unknown gem’ from the club’s academy who is already making quite the noise with the Barcelona Juvenil A team. 18-year-old Txus Alba is heralded as one of the brightest talents in La Masia currently and has become an integral part of Oscar Lopez’s side. The young midfielder arrived at the club from local rivals Espanyol in 2018, in a deal worth €50,000, joining up with the Cadet B squad at the time.
Alba has progressed through the ranks over the past three years and is enjoying a fine run with the Juvenil A side, scoring seven goals and setting up 15 more. A midfielder by trade, the teenager is known for his vision, final ball and the ability to strike the ball from distance.
At the same time, the Spanish Under-18 international is also a quality set-piece taker. All these qualities have made him an exciting prospect for the future. Despite being primarily associated with the Under-19s, he has spent time with the Barça B team and has trained with the senior squad as well.
Txus Alba’s contract with the club stands to expire at the end of the season and the club must act quickly to tie him down to a new deal, as there is unlikely to be a shortage of suitors for him given his talent and potential.
Playing Style of Txus Alba:
Txus Alba is a central or attacking midfielder who, above everything, stands out for his talent. His technique is exquisite, and, joined with his imagination and daringness, makes him capable of producing the most unexpected and nasty actions even from the middle. At Espanyol, he had a more offensive role, which probably explains his ability to dribble and speed up, but in Barça’s 4–3–3 he has had to adapt to the position of interior or central midfielder.
From there, he dictates the tempo of the game, choosing between chaos and calm depending on each situation or necessity. If he has to slow down and control the pace of the match through his passing, he can do it comfortably. However, if the team needs a bigger contribution in the opposing box from its maestros, then he can carry the ball forward, break defensive lines and also score with runs from behind or long-range shots. With his delightful craft, Alba isn’t afraid of trying the unimaginable.
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Aryan Sharma
(95 Articles Published)