Gonzalo will sign his contract renewal with Real Madrid in the next few hours, becoming the second youth player in the last month to confirm his move to the first team after Asencio was also confirmed. The club is clear that, given the current state of football and the transfer market, it is essential that youth players take the step up to the first team, and that also depends on the work that is done with them.
Xabi Alonso and Arbeloa are willing to take the bull by the horns and give opportunities to promising young players. Gonzalo and Asencio fuel optimismIt is good news for Real Madrid that two of the new signings for this season are two youth players.
Urgent circumstances led to the emergence of Raúl Asencio last season, who became a regular in Ancelotti’s starting eleven, demonstrating his high level of play, although he failed in the Club World Cup, but it was enough to earn him a place in the squad.
In the summer, the big surprise from Xabi Alonso was his commitment to Gonzalo from day one. The youth player did not disappoint, starting every game and finishing as the top scorer in the tournament. The coach did not hesitate to give him playing time ahead of established first-team players, sending a clear message that he likes to play with a key man at the forefront of the attack. His great performance has earned him his first contract with the first team, until 2030.
This is a breath of fresh air for the fans, who are always delighted to see youth players get their chance, for the club, and above all for the youth players themselves, who now see it as more possible than ever to get a chance in the first team.
Youth players aspiring to promotion
Xabi Alonso has called up several Castilla players for his return to training. Thiago Pitarch, Manuel Ángel (called up but not training due to physical problems), Diego Aguado and Daniel Yáñez are the players chosen by the Tolosa-born coach to work under the new coach. In the case of Thiago Pitarch and Manuel Ángel, the expectations are even higher, as both are midfielders and could have real options in the Basque coach’s plans given the lack of players in the midfield.
The first of these, Pitarch, is only 18 years old and, since his arrival at Valdebebas two years ago, has enjoyed a meteoric rise thanks to his quality. Manuel Ángel is 21 years old and physical problems have been an issue for him in recent years, but he is the captain of Castilla and his quality is beyond doubt. Now all that remains to be seen is whether they are capable of proving that they can play for Real Madrid, something that is always difficult, a challenge that few footballers in the world can achieve.
But it seems that there is a new atmosphere at Valdebebas and that there is a desire to give the youth academy a boost. Today’s football demands it; young talent must be the priority in order to combat a rising market that is making it increasingly difficult to sign players. Gonzalo and Asencio have shown the way, they have earned a place in the first team, and although they still have a lot to prove, they are a clear example of the plans that Real Madrid has, with Xabi Alonso and Álvaro Arbeloa at the helm for this new era that has begun at the club.