Real Madrid News
Real Madrid academy ‘crown jewel’ wanted by several clubs, club bets on him for future
Pre-season is the right time of the season for a manager to not only test the resources at his disposal but also provide up-and-coming talents with a chance to make their mark. With Real Madrid Castilla enjoying a stellar run last season, a number of stars were expected to be called up by Carlo Ancelotti to the USA.
However, the manager included just one academy prospect in his pre-season tour scheduled for this week – Nico Paz. Ancelotti maintains a few players like Alvaro Rodriguez on his radar as well, but it is safe to say that he has the highest hopes for the academy’s crown jewel.
According to reports from MARCA, many teams are interested in Paz’s signature. He is seen as one of the rising stars of the next generation and has no shortage of suitors at his doorstep.
However, Los Blancos see him to be capable of breaking into the first team and establishing himself as a mainstay for the years to come.
The 18-year-old is an attacking midfielder by trade and thus faces competition with some of the world’s best for a spot in the starting XI this week. Jude Bellingham, Arda Guler, Luka Modric, Toni Kroos, and Dani Ceballos all fight for two spots in central midfield, and Paz’s inclusion implies that the manager sees him at par with the aforementioned stars.
The young prodigy scored two goals and provided three assists in 17 appearances for Raul Gonzalez’s side last season, helping the team to the promotion playoffs in their division. He is no stranger to training under Ancelotti’s command and has shared the dressing room with the first team multiple times at a tender age.
It remains to be seen if Paz can finally make his awaited debut for the senior setup this week. Reports state that the manager has been actively experimenting with him in a 4-4-2 diamond setup in training.
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.
