That was true in the past and it's the best route for the player but not for clubs like Barca anymore. Now the smaller clubs got so rich (I'm talking about EPL) that they don't have to sell to big clubs anymore or they demand a ridiculous price.
Years ago it was normal that someone like R9 went to PSV before joining a top club, now talents like that (if they existed) have to be signed by Barca straight from Brazil. Get Eduardo or Bissiwu directly to our club because we won't be able to afford them if they explode in some EPL club.
That is a totally different point.
PSV and Eredeviese were fairly rich and big when Ronaldo went there btw, different times before the Bosman laws changed football forever. Maradona arrived to Barca directly himself. There is always talents like this. Just like Estevao moving to Chelsea.
But those are select few, and reacting to market changes doesn't mean doing a classic mistake of rushing talents who aren't ready.
Barca getting someone like Rayan for 35M would have been a mistake, likely similar to Roque moving here. Brazilian clubs knows how to sell, players know their worth. Rayan won't go to Barca B for example.
We move to talents from lower markets who can't demand prime price tags, like Africa and rest of South America. Or taping talents to get them join Barca B (like Bisiwu) rather than renewals.
But it won't always work, because market is inflated not just by EPL, but other non European leagues. We lost Fabricio Diaz for Qatari club, plenty of talents go to MLS first, others like Ruud Nijstad and Dani Banjaqui prefer renewal (both are almost done). But it is sound strategy. You develop them in your youth teams.
