One advantage of developing numerous players at La Masia is the financial benefit Barcelona gains when these players move to other clubs.
Barcelona receives not only transfer fees but also training compensation owed for having developed the player.
Even if a player does not break into Barça’s first team, the club can still profit later if they grow elsewhere and transfer for significant sums.
In this regard, Barcelona is set to receive a modest but welcome financial boost from the expected transfer of former La Masia midfielder Sergi Altimira to Portuguese club Sporting CP.
According to MARCA, Sporting is close to signing Altimira from Real Betis in a deal worth €18 million fixed plus €4 million in variables.
If completed, Barça would receive around €400,000 as training compensation. While not a large figure, in Barcelona’s current financial situation, every small income counts.
The club is navigating a delicate summer balancing registrations, transfers, salaries, and squad planning ahead of the 2026/27 season.
Altimira spent part of his development at Barcelona’s academy before moving to Sabadell’s youth setup in the 2019/20 season. Later, in 2023, he joined Betis despite Barça’s interest in bringing him back.
Having established himself in La Liga, he is now close to moving to Portugal. RB Leipzig also showed interest, but Sporting appears to be leading the race.
The progression of former academy players into valuable footballers elsewhere reflects the ongoing strength of La Masia, which continues to produce players with strong technical foundations and tactical education attractive across Europe.
The club’s philosophy remains focused on producing players for its first team. Nonetheless, not every La Masia talent gains that chance, and transfers of such players also contribute to the club’s finances.
Altimira’s likely move to Sporting represents positive news both for the player and as a minor financial win for Barcelona.
