[Pat Murphy]

Dos Santos And Krkic Headed For Stardom

With some Barcelona youngsters having grabbed the headlines of late, Matthew Hernon took the opportunity to take a quick look at the products that lie on the end of the pipeline that is their youth setup.

If it worked once, why not try again?

Following the success of Cesc Fabregas, Arsene Wenger had another look at the Barcelona youth set-up and picked up a second young Spanish midfielder with tremendous skill and vision: 17yr old Fran Merida.

Barca fans need not worry too much though, there are plenty more where he came from. They have some of the most exciting youngsters in Europe, with Giovani Dos Santos and Bojan Krkic, in particular, destined for big futures in the game.

Frank Rijkaard may well be giving them a chance in the first team sooner rather than later (indeed they both featured in Egypt this week). That is, of course, if the Catalan giants can keep the vultures away, especially a certain Frenchman.

Bojan Krkic (16)

It is always exciting to discover the next big thing; the new Maradona, Pele, Cruyff or even Messi. Yes, he might be only 19, but the Argentinean already has a pretender to his crown at the Camp Nou.

Watching Bojan Krkic strut his stuff on Barca TV, it was not difficult to see why he has been compared to Lionel Messi. The two of them are slight of build, yet exceptionally quick, with the ability to ghost past players as if they weren't there.

There are few guarantees with a young player (so many have flattered to deceive), but it would be a major shock if Krkic didn't go on and become a major star in the game. He already has an incredible goal scoring record; he has hit the net over 500 times for Barcelona's various youth teams during his seven years at the club.

Having chosen to represent Spain over Serbia (his Father's country of birth), he finished as the joint leading scorer in the 2006 U17 Championship. That was despite the fact he spent much time on the bench. He can sign professionally for Barcelona when he turns 17; they had better make sure there are no delays!

Giovanni Dos Santos (17)

It seems Barcelona are trying to mould a younger version of their current starting eleven. While Krkic dribbles and dazzles like Messi, Giovani Dos Santos bears more than a passing resemblance to Ronaldinho. Both are attacking midfielders with tremendous skill, they also share similar haircuts and many other physical attributes.

It was the performance of Dos Santos during the 2005 FIFA U17 World Championship that really made people sit up and take notice. He sparkled for Mexico and was involved in most of their goals as they lifted the trophy for the first time. He was named as the second best player of the tournament, winning the Adidas Silver Ball, but most believed should have won the Golden one.

With many star players rumored to be exiting the Camp Nou in the summer, he might get a chance in the first team next season. Whether he will be playing alongside Ronaldinho, however, remains to be seen, as the Brazilian could be one of the big names departing!

from Goal.com

Goal.com - Editorial/Comment - Feature: Dos Santos And Krkic Headed For Stardom

Feature from Goal.com, tells you a bit more about these 2.