Roger Riera tipped to prosper at Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest beat Espanyol to Roger Riera's signature over the summer and are expecting the youngster to flourish.
A former captain of Barcelona’s U19 side, and one who lifted the UEFA Youth Champions League during his time in Catalunya, Riera has taken the commendable decision to try his luck in England rather than remain in his homeland.
Still only 19 years of age, the youngster is being eased into the fold at Forest, with his development better served in the U21 ranks than in the senior squad.
He is, however, being tipped for a bright future, with academy coach Jimmy Gilligan confident that Riera will blossom at the City Ground and prove to be a shrewd acquisition.
Gilligan said in the Nottingham Post: "Barcelona don't release people easily. They would have had a long think about it.
"He'd been there since he was eight so for him to be released would have been hard to take.
"We weren't the only club interested. Espanyol would have snapped their hands off to take him. He decided for his development to come here. Credit to him.
"We've got to develop him now. We are working on some of his deficiencies. He's not blessed with pace but if we can get him to get tight and stop people playing that will help.
"I'm not going to say he's going to make it into the first team or not going to make it.
"He's got the ability to do it. As long as he wants to learn he's got a chance. Roger will do everything he can and we'll do everything we can to help him at this football club.
"Hopefully he can progress and we might see an ex-Barcelona player in Nottingham Forest's first team.
"Roger has done very well for someone that has come from a different culture. He's been engulfed in the Catalan culture, has come here and done terrifically well.
"He's a nice lad who really wants to understand. He's very emotional. He gets upset when things don't go right for him. In terms of settling in we've never had a problem from him.
"In training he's a winner. He was wants to compete whether it be five-a-side or three-v-three."