Real Madrid see 18-year-old gem as one of the most likely academy players to reach the first team | OneFootball

Real Madrid new manager Xabi Alonso announced the squad for the FIFA Club World Cup earlier this week with as many as ten academy players named.

Indeed, young talents like Fran Gonzalez, Sergi Mestre, Jacobo Ramon, Yusi, Diego Aguado, Jesus Fortea, Chema Andres, Mario Martin, Gonzalo Garcia, and Victor Munoz have all been called up for the tournament in the USA.

Diego Aguado rated highly at Real Madrid

While not everyone is expected to get a chance at the Club World Cup starting this week, all the young players called up are rated highly at Real Madrid.

However, according to Guillermo Rai of The Athletic, Real Madrid consider young Diego Aguado to be one of the academy players who has the best chance of making it to the first team in the near future.

Aguado is held in high regard at Madrid. (Photo by Ricardo Nascimento/Getty Images for DFB)

Aguado, 18, is a versatile defender capable of playing at centre-back or left-back. Those behind the scenes at Valdebebas describe him as a very good passer and an able reader of the game.

Given Ferland Mendy’s injury, Fran Garcia is the only senior left-back available for the Club World Cup and as such, the youngster along with fellow teenager Yusi, has a good chance of featuring in the tournament.

Aguado, as has already been reported, is attracting interest from Borussia Dortmund, who are offering €6 million for his signing.

It remains to be seen what the teenage gem decides with regard to his future, but if he stays at Real Madrid, it is expected that Aguado will spend another year with the Castilla team to further polish his game before a first-team breakthrough materialises.