#youth-development

#youth-development

The Milan Futuro project is all about developing players for the future, and the one turning heads at the moment is Lorenzo Ossola. As Calciomercato.com point out, 13 points separate Milan Futuro from the team that are top of their group in Serie D. The aim is to return to the third tier as soon as possible, but the real mission is to lay the foundations for developing the youth academy.

The idea is simple but strict, as every young arrival will be assessed over time, with their performances, mentality, and tactical growth closely monitored. Only those who prove they are ready at the required level will be given a pathway towards the senior squad. The objective is to avoid rushed promotions and ensure that each step in the development ladder is earned.

Adin Ličina has left Bayern to join Juventus.

AC Milan is pleased to announce the signing of Yahya Idrissi, who will be part of the Milan Futuro Project, dedicated to the growth and development of youth talents. The 2007-born midfielder joins the Rossoneri from Chelsea FC. It emerged over the weekend that Milan have swooped for the teenager, who shone for Chelsea's U16s before earning a promotion to the U18 team.

According to SPORT, FC Barcelona are fully aware that the club cannot afford for Barça Atlètic to spend another season in the fourth tier of Spanish football (Segunda RFEF). As such, the club consider it a priority for the team coached by Juliano Belletti to gain promotion, thereby reducing the gap to the elite. Beyond sporting considerations, there are also practical advantages, such as avoiding poor-quality pitches that carry a risk of injury.

Barcelona are continuing to push forward with their long-term recruitment strategy, and another young name has now emerged as a priority. According to SPORT, the Catalan club is moving closer to finalising a deal for highly rated Dutch defender Ruud Nijstad. The pursuit of Nijstad, who currently plays for FC Twente, fits perfectly into Barcelona's recent approach in the market. Rather than focusing solely on immediate first-team reinforcements, the club has prioritised strengthening their youth structure with players who can grow into senior roles over time.

You would not expect to find coaches from the Celtic FC Foundation in Brixton. But even the torrential rain in south London has not stopped them and four local teams from turning out to help launch a programme that will provide girls and young women from underprivileged backgrounds in the local area with a chance to play football. It is one of several initiatives established since the foundation began working in London to mark Celtic's 125th anniversary in 2013.

Breaking through at Bayern Munich as a youth player is exceedingly difficult. Lennart Karl may have made it look easy, but usually one has to compete with an array of stars as an academy player to get game time. Felipe Chavez is in a fairly similar boat. He caught the eye with a bright display in the big 5-0 friendly against RB Salzburg before making his Bundesliga debut against VfL Wolfsburg.

Until I was 16, I was just playing with my mates and stuff - and then Fife League was a thing at the time,

Michael Carrick may have won it all with Manchester United as a player, but he came from humble beginnings. The classy former midfielder, who played 464 times for the Red Devils in an illustrious career, was appointed as the club's interim manager until the end of the season earlier this week. But a video showing a teenaged Carrick making his way as a youth footballer in the North East highlights the remarkable journey he has been on.

The FC Bayern World Squad has established itself as a cornerstone of our international youth development programme. Every talented player has the opportunity to surpass themselves at the highest level and thus take decisive steps towards a career in professional football. We not only nurture sporting abilities, but also character and mentality. This is how the professional players of tomorrow can develop.

According to a report from Bolavip, Manchester United are interested in the player and have been closely following his progress. They will face competition from Real Madrid and Barcelona. The 17-year-old Ecuadorian is a promising young player with a bright future, and it will be interesting to see if Manchester United can win the race for his signature. The report claims that the player is considered the new Moises Caicedo.

The West Coast provides the perfect environment for us to prepare for the second half of the season,

Cardiff City began 2026 well placed for a promotion push, after head coach Brian Barry-Murphy was handed the job of leading the Bluebirds back to the Championship following last season's relegation. This marked the 47-year-old's second senior management job following a two-year stint at Rochdale between 2019 and 2021, but it was his spell in charge of Manchester City's Elite Development Squad during which he really cut his teeth.

I was a Manchester United fan and I am now massively a Chelsea fan,