Athletic Club eyeing summer move for Real Madrid starlet | OneFootball

The powers that be at Athletic Club have identified an up-and-coming member of the youth ranks at La Liga rivals Real Madrid as a leading summer transfer target.

That’s according to Relevo, who point towards César Palacios as the player in question.

Palacios, for his part, is a 19-year-old midfielder, who has spent the season to date plying his trade with Raúl’s Castilla reserve outfit.

Long considered one of the standout talents in the youth setup at Valdebebas, the Spanish youth international has racked up 40 appearances, chipping in with four goals and two assists along the way.

Such exploits have culminated in Palacios being called up to first-team training by Carlo Ancelotti on a number of occasions, too, with the attack-minded midfielder’s reputation having only been strengthened by his performance at senior level.

Safe to say, then, that it should not come as a major surprise to hear of interest spreading in Palacios’ signature.

As per the aforementioned Relevo, after first setting their sights on the teenage talent last summer, Athletic Club are ready to reignite their pursuit over the months ahead.

The Basque outfit consider Palacios a player with the potential to act as a mainstay in their midfield ranks for years to come.

His glowing reputation in Madrid, however, means that any deal will be a difficult one to pull off.

Only in the case of an offer approaching €7 million being tabled, would the Real brass be willing to engage in discussions over Palacios’ potential sale.

Conor Laird | GSFN