Corberán and the academy, why Valencia’s pathway has stalled | OneFootball

Valencia’s academy pipeline has stalled in La Liga, with no Paterna graduate debuting across 23 matchdays and none since Iker Córdoba under Rubén Baraja. Since 2014/15, 40 had debuted, roughly three to four each season.

Carlos Corberán has prioritised experience, adding Sadiq, Unai and Guido and loaning Córdoba to Mirandés. According to Superdeporte, Valencia also signed Largie Ramazani and waited until January for centre-back Unai Núñez after Mouctar Diakhaby’s long-term absence.

Opportunities for youngsters have been largely confined to early Copa ties. Centre-back Alejandro Panach and midfielder Lucas Núñez, regulars in first-team training, have not featured since the 5-0 win at Maracena in October.

In the league, Córdoba’s five minutes against Espanyol in December 2024 were followed by eight at Barcelona in the 7-1 defeat. Since then only Rubén Iranzo has played, three minutes in the 1-0 win at Getafe, and he is now sidelined with a knee sprain.

A shortage at right-back, Foulquier’s operation and doubts over Thierry Rendall’s fitness, could prompt a debut after 13 months. This week Miguel Monferrer and Pedro Gomes trained with the seniors, Monferrer withdrew, Gomes returned to the B side, and youth defender Aarón Mayol covered the role.

The recent crop looks thinner at elite level, with only Yarek establishing himself at PSV among the last three seasons’ nine debutants. In the Meriton era Javi Gracia, José Bordalás and Baraja leaned most on the academy, while Marcelino García Toral did so less, though he introduced Nacho Vidal, Ferran Torres and Kang-in Lee.

Source: Superdeporte