Real Madrid tracking 15-year-old midfield gem playing in Portugal – report

Real Madrid tracking 15-year-old midfield gem playing in Portugal – report According to Rodra of ESPN , Real Madrid are keeping a close eye on Jacobo Afonso, one of the brightest prospects in Sporting CP’s youth academy. The Spanish giants have received highly positive reports on the youngster and have been tracking his development for some time. Afonso is a 15-year-old central midfielder who operates in a box-to-box role. He stands out for his physical presence despite his young age, ability to make forward runs from deep and technical quality on the ball. The teenager has already represented Spain at youth level and was included in the latest squads for the U16 national team. Afonso holds both Spanish and Portuguese nationality. He was born in Salamanca but grew up in Portugal. His father is former Portuguese footballer Nuno Afonso, who played for Benfica. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jovens Promessas 🇵🇹 (@jovenspromessas2015) Real Madrid continue to invest in young talent Real Madrid’s interest in Afonso fits the club’s strategy of identifying and recruiting promising players from an early age, both in Spain and abroad. In recent months, they have secured the signing of Espanyol prospect Jan Vila, who was just 14, and have also been working to recruit Manchester United wonderkid JJ Gabriel, who turned 16 earlier this month. The pursuit of Afonso would represent another move in the club’s ongoing efforts to strengthen their youth academy and secure some of Europe’s most promising emerging talents before they establish themselves at senior level. La Fabrica continues to deliver results Real Madrid’s academy is enjoying a strong period both on and off the pitch. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jacobo Afonso 🇪🇸🇵🇹 (@jacobo._.afonso10) The club generated more than €200 million from sales of La Fabrica talents last summer, while their Juvenil A side won the UEFA Youth League last season and lifted the Under-20 Intercontinental Cup in September. Those achievements have reinforced the importance of the academy within Madrid’s wider sporting strategy. Real Madrid are therefore continuing to scour the market for young players who could strengthen their youth teams in the coming years. Sporting CP midfielder Afonso is among the prospects they are monitoring particularly closely, with a potential move in the coming months not ruled out.