After lacking out on the signing of Leny Yoro and seeing Nacho Fernandez depart on the finish of the season, Actual Madrid have a niche that wants filling in defence.
And whereas followers are in all probability hoping for Los Blancos to dip into the market to fill that hole, studies from Marca declare it’s going to extra seemingly be stuffed by an academy graduate. The three talked about had been Joan Martinez, Jacobo Ramon and Raul Asencio.
All three are set to play an element in Madrid’s pre-season tour of america, that means followers will get the possibility to see them in pleasant competitors earlier than official La Liga motion begins later in the summertime.
Here is what you must know in regards to the three younger defenders.
How has he carried out with Actual Madrid’s youth groups?
Martinez joined Madrid in 2023 after impressing within the youth ranks at Levante and has continued to earn plaudits ever since.
He earned a fast leap from Juvenil C to Juvenil A degree – working beneath Alvaro Arbeloa within the latter – and has since been known as as much as Madrid’s squad for his or her pre-season tour of the USA.
Strengths?
The 6’2 defender is unimaginable pacy regardless of his peak. Martinez has recurrently been capable of make restoration runs and tackles due to his athleticism and skill to learn the sport.
On high of that, he is additionally extraordinarily proficient with the ball at his toes and has been identified to bomb ahead in possession at instances.
Participant comparability?
The hair and hairband combo scream Sergio Ramos and his enjoying fashion does, too.
The last-ditch sliding tackles he likes to make had been very a lot a trademark of Ramos’ recreation within the early years of his profession, as is his means in possession.
How has he carried out with Actual Madrid’s youth groups?
In contrast to Martinez, Jacobo Ramon has been on the books at Madrid for a really, very very long time.
The 19-year-old initially joined the membership means again in 2013 aged simply eight and has progressed by means of the Juvenil groups ever since.
After a couple of video games with the Castilla aspect, Ramon even made his means as much as the Madrid senior staff final season, coaching with Carlo Ancelotti’s aspect and making the squad for a La Liga recreation in February.
It looks like solely a matter of time earlier than he makes his debut.
Strengths?
One other 6’2 centre-back – they develop on bushes in Madrid, apparently – Ramons is a particularly proactive defender.
The 19-year-old will be recurrently seen speeding into midfield to win the ball again for his aspect and takes it upon himself to hold it into the ultimate third thereafter. On account of his peak, he is additionally a risk from set-piece conditions.
Participant comparability?
Contemplating his nickname is ‘Virgil’ as a result of he reminds Madrid youth coaches of Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk, we’ll go together with that.
How has he carried out with Actual Madrid’s youth groups?
At 21 years outdated, Asencio is the oldest of this bunch by fairly a distance.
The defender has been on the books in Madrid since 2017 and was an everyday for the Castilla staff all through the 2023/24 season, making 34 Primera Federacion appearances. Like Martinez, he has been known as as much as the senior squad of the pre-season tour of the USA this summer season.
Asencio is one among 4 academy gamers who’ve been beneath investigation for his or her ‘dissemination of a video with sexual conduct involving a minor’ in 2023.
Strengths?
Asencio is a ball-playing defender, with Castilla supervisor Raul recurrently counting on the 21-year-old to begin their assaults with vertical passes.
Participant comparability?
His passing vary reminds one among Leonardo Bonucci, as Asencio can play long-range passes in the identical means the Juventus legend recurrently did in Serie A within the 2010s.