Real Madrid News
Real Madrid academy duo on the radars of Bundesliga clubs – German sources
Real Madrid have a talented crop of young talent coming through the ranks at the club. Talents like Sergio Arribas, Nico Paz, Rafa Marin, and Alvaro Rodriguez, among others are seen as players who are bound for the senior team in the near future.
The youngsters are polishing their skills under the careful watch of Raul Gonzalez with Real Madrid Castilla currently. And they have made it to the finals of the promotion playoffs in the RFEF Primera Division, where they are playing Eldense.
And according to a report from German publication BILD, scouts from several Bundesliga clubs were in attendance this past weekend during the first leg of the finals between Castilla and Eldense, to keep an eye on the Real Madrid youngsters.
The report further adds that the scouts are expected to be present again when the second leg is played later this weekend.
Top clubs like Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig, Bayer Leverkusen, and Eintracht Frankfurt are keeping tabs on the talents.
The likes of Arribas, Rodriguez, Paz, Marin and Carlos Dotor are tipped for a bright future and were the subject of the scouting mission by the German teams. And as per the report, two players in particular – Arribas and Rodriguez, seemed to be the most popular targets.
Arribas has been the star of the Castilla team over the past couple of seasons and has enjoyed another spectacular campaign in 2022/23.
The 21-year-old has 20 goals and seven assists from 36 games for Castilla this season while he has also played four times for the Real Madrid senior team, scoring one goal which came in the FIFA Club World Cup.
A player tipped for a bright future, Arribas has already been linked with several Spanish teams and it now appears that he is being monitored by clubs in the Bundesliga too.
As for Rodriguez, the 18-year-old striker has seven goals and two assists from 27 appearances for Castilla this term. However, he has been more involved with the first team than Arribas, making eight appearances in which he has a goal and an assist apiece.
Rodriguez had been tipped to become a first-team regular next season, but with the arrival of Joselu and the potential signing of another striker, that might not materialise.
Real Madrid have previously sold academy talent to Bundesliga clubs with buyback clauses inserted which they triggered later – Dani Carvajal and Jesus Vallejo being the examples.
It remains to be seen whether the Merengues could take a similar approach with Arribas and Rodriguez, or at least loan them out for next season.
In a major update, AS reports that former Real Madrid midfielder and club legend Toni Kroos has taken his first step towards starting his coaching career.
The former Germany international has told the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) that he is interested in joining the coaching course reserved for professional footballers.
Real Madrid tried to bring Kroos back
It is no secret that Real Madrid considered bringing Toni Kroos back into the club’s structure after the end of the last season.
The club president, Florentino Perez, had wanted Kroos to have a daily presence at Valdebebas rather than making occasional appearances after his retirement.
Jose Angel Sanchez and Kroos spoke after Perez expressed his desire to see the German working at Valdebebas every day. However, they did not find the right moment, time or structure to give his return a clear form.
A comeback remains one of the possibilities most desired by Madrid supporters because of Kroos’ charisma and what he represents at the Santiago Bernabeu. Neither side wanted him to return simply for the sake of it, so the door remains open for the future.
The relationship between the two parties is excellent, and both know that the opportunity to work together again will eventually come.
Taking it step by step
For now, Kroos continues to run the academy he established in Boadilla, enjoying the opportunity to help develop younger players.
After two years away from the competitive side of football, however, he is beginning to look towards the dugout as a possible next step in his career.
Kroos currently holds coaching qualifications that allow him to work up to the third tier of Spanish football.
This is possible because professionals with at least seven years of proven experience and significant involvement at the elite level can gain direct access to accelerated coaching courses.
That means Kroos could coach a team in Primera Federacion, but the German wants to take things gradually.
Kroos has already informed the RFEF that he would be interested in joining the coaching course reserved for professional footballers during the 2027/28 season.
The course taking place this season is not available to elite former players, with UEFA limiting each campaign to 20 places.
With his current qualifications, Kroos could work as an assistant coach, but he cannot yet take charge as a head coach in either the top flight or the Segunda División.
But completing that programme would allow Kroos to obtain the UEFA A licence, which would enable him to coach teams at any level.
