Barca makes Haikou home for talent search

Although China has a shortage of homegrown stars shining in the world's best soccer leagues, big foreign clubs remain interested in tapping the local market.

One of the most potentially beneficial ways for them to do so is by investing in youth development camps.

As the latest example, Barca Academy kicked off its summer camp at one of Mission Hills Group's resorts in Haikou, Hainan province, this week.

This is the third camp hosted by the Barca Academy in Haikou, giving young players from all over China the opportunity to enjoy an intense week of high-quality coaching, as well as giving them a taste of what it feels like to play for one of the most popular and successful teams on the planet.

The opening ceremony at the Mission Hills Football Training Headquarters, home of Barca Academy Pro Haikou, was attended by representatives from both Barcelona and the Mission Hills Group.

"We are delighted to see so many youngsters in China showing a passion for football," said Tenniel Chu, vice-chairman of Mission Hills Group.

"We believe our footballing dream can serve as a platform for the development of a future generation of footballers in China."

Over two five-day camps, more than 330 young players will enjoy an authentic Barca training experience on FIFA-accredited pitches, led by the academy's technical director, Pau Lopez, and his coaching team.

With further help from a team of local coaches and translators, training sessions include both technique and tactics, aimed at providing each and every player with a scientific, systematic and holistic approach to adopting Barca's tiki-taka style.

Barca Academy Pro Haikou was established in February 2017, following a groundbreaking strategic collaboration between Mission Hills Group and the Catalan club.

It is the first soccer school outside of Barcelona to be under direct management of the club, and part of a greater project between the two partners.

The facility includes an experience center, a store and a themed restaurant, all aimed at nurturing grassroots soccer and discovering local talent.

Apart from Barcelona's camp, Atletico Madrid has for years been operating a youth camp for the development of Chinese talent.

In 2012, Atletico and China agreed a deal to develop Chinese kids at the club's academy in the Spanish capital.

Today, there are over 100 Chinese youngsters training at the camp.