Real Madrid News
Ancelotti believes teenage prodigy has potential to play in Real Madrid’s first team
According to MARCA, Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti believes that academy graduate Nico Paz has the potential to play for the first team.
And that is one of the main reasons why he has been training regularly with the senior setup in recent weeks.
Nico Paz: A special talent
One of the most talented young prospects coming through the La Fabrica ranks, the Argentine attacking midfielder has been tipped for great things by those within the club.
The teenage prodigy has made 24 appearances for the club’s Castilla outfit, scoring two goals and setting up three more. He also has five goals from seven appearances in the UEFA Youth League with the Under-19 side.
Nico had been called up to train with the first team quite a few times last season but is yet to make his official debut for the club.
Although, it must be noted that he was the only outfield player from the youth team that was on the pre-season tour of the USA earlier this summer and got minutes in the friendlies as well.
Since returning to Spain, Nico has continued to train with the senior squad and could eventually be handed his official first-team debut for Real Madrid in the coming weeks.
Competition for places in the attacking midfield region is tough, though, with the likes of Jude Bellingham, Arda Guler, and Brahim Diaz ahead of him in the pecking order.
But Ancelotti believes that the Argentine prodigy has what it takes to play for the first team and his time could eventually come some time during the course of the current season.
Aurelien Tchouameni has had an exciting start to his career at Real Madrid. Since joining the club for almost €80 million last summer, the young Frenchman has now become a pivotal figure in Real Madrid’s midfield unit.
However, prior to his move to Santiago Bernabeu, the midfielder was closely linked with a move to Paris Saint-Germain.
In a recent interview, Tchouameni opened up on his links to PSG but revealed his decision to join Real Madrid.
Aurelien Tchouameni on PSG links
Talking about speculations linking him to PSG, Tchouameni said (h/t Madrid Zone), “PSG? Frankly, I thought about it. It’s a very big European club, we want the French clubs to succeed.”
“But honestly, when Real Madrid calls you, it’s very complicated to say no,” Tchouameni added.
The midfielder was linked with a move to PSG during his time at AS Monaco. Les Parisiens wanted to sign the youngster as part of their plans to reinforce the midfield unit.
Tchouameni, though, ended up opting for a move to Real Madrid, which turned out to be a prudent decision from the midfielder’s end.
Tchouameni’s career at Real Madrid
Aurelien Tchouameni made a total of 50 competitive appearances during his maiden season at Real Madrid.
Although the Frenchman was not entirely a first-team regular in Carlo Ancelotti’s setup, his stature in the team is expected to grow in the coming years.
Especially as Toni Kroos and Luka Modric move on at the end of the season, there is scope for Tchouameni to become a first-team regular in the Real Madrid midfield in the years to come.
The former AS Monaco starlet has already played a crucial role in the starting eleven so far this season and it is only going to continue as the season progresses.
