Not all talents from the Barcelona academy follow the path of a Lamine Yamal, who breaks into senior football even before fully completing his development in the youth setup. Instead, some young players require a different trajectory, one that can still lead them to the first team at Camp Nou but involves intermediate steps, including playing for other clubs.
Ander Astralaga, a goalkeeper born in 2004, belongs to this category. He has been loaned to Granada in the Segunda Division. This move offers him the chance to gain valuable experience in a different environment, with the aim of returning to his parent club with greater maturity.
Below is the official statement released by the *rojiblanco* club regarding this acquisition:
“Granada Club de Fútbol and FC Barcelona have reached an agreement for the loan of goalkeeper Ander Astralaga until the end of the 2025-26 season.
Ander Astralaga Aranguren (born in Berango, Vizcaya; 2004) moved from the Athletic Club academy to Barcelona`s in 2018. At La Masía, he progressed through various levels, from the youth teams to the Barcelona reserve squad (Barça Atlètic), which he joined in 2023. Last season, he appeared in 18 matches in Group I of the Primera RFEF. The Club welcomes Astralaga and wishes him the best of luck in his new role as a *rojiblanco* player.”
