Barcelona, Bayern & Co – The 24/25 Champions League teams with the most academy graduates

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Gets underway Tuesday 

It’s almost that time again. Europe’s elite teams will begin locking horns in the Champions League next Tuesday. The brand new format will see a league phase replace the group stage, with 36 teams each playing eight group matches. The top eight sides in the league will qualify for the round of 16 automatically, with 9th-24th going through to a play off-round against each other for a place in the last 16. There will be more games and more teams than ever before.

Many of the world’s best players will be on show, with superstars from far and wide ubiquitous in the competition. However, some teams will be more reliant on the fruits of their own labour, with key players in their squads brought through their academy set-ups. But which teams in this season’s Champions League have the most academy graduates in their squads? And which sides have the most valuable academy stars in their ranks? Here at Transfermarkt, we have you covered. 

Which Champions League teams have the most academy graduates in their squads?

Leading the way in first place are Croatian side Dinamo Zagreb. They have as many as 14 academy products within their squad. Although, between those 14 players they have a market value of just €38 million, with midfielder Martin Baturina the most valuable of the group at €20m. In second place are Barcelona. Renowned for their famous ‘La Masia’ academy, they currently have 13 academy graduates in their squad, with a combined market value of a staggering €438m. The most valuable of which is teenage sensation Lamine Yamal at €120m. In third place, also with 13 academy graduates is Shakthar Donetsk. Their academy players boast a combined market value of €95m.

In fourth place are Serbian side Red Star Belgrade, who have 12 academy graduates in their squad with a combined market value of just €13m. In fifth come Eredivisie outfit PSV with 10 academy graduates worth a combined €83m. They are followed by Portuguese side Benfica who have nine academy products in their ranks whom boast a combined market value of €92m. Seventh place goes to German giants Bayern Munich, who have eight academy graduates worth a combined €203m – the most valuable of which is young superstar Jamal Musiala (€130m).

In eight place is the second Portuguese team in the top 10 – this time Sporting who have eight academy graduates worth a combined €76m in market value. Ninth spot goes to Czech Republic side Sparta Prague, who are back in the Champions League for the first time in 19 years, and have eight academy graduates worth a combined €18m. Completing the top 10 is a team making their inaugural appearance in the Champions League in Slovakian team Slovan Bratislava – they have eight academy products worth a combined €8m.

Which Champions League teams have the most valuable set of academy players?

When we adjust the criteria and rank this season’s Champions League teams by which clubs boast the most combined market value from their academy stars, the pendulum swings and we see some of the more traditionally bigger clubs rise. Barcelona remain first with their aforementioned €438m worth of academy talent. Climbing to second are Manchester City, who have a combined market value of €229m from their five academy graduates – Phil Foden the most valuable (€150m). Bayern are third with €203m, and are followed in fourth by Liverpool who boast €202m’s worth of academy talent in their squad. 

In fifth are Arsenal, who quite remarkably have just one senior academy product in Bukayo Saka, but the Englishmen contributes €140m alone. It’s also predicted that 17-year-old talent Ethan Nwaneri (€8m) may be included in the Gunners European roster. In sixth when it comes to the most market value are Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen with €131m in market value from their four academy graduates. They are followed by Shakthar (€95m) and Benfica (€87m), with Atalanta (€87m) from five academy products in ninth and PSG (€84m) completing the top 10. Champions League holders Real Madrid have just three academy graduates with a combined value of just €31m.