Real Madrid have reportedly set their sights on Villarreal’s teenage prodigy Aitor Landero, who has been likened to Pau Torres.
According to a report from Defensa Central, Real Madrid are continuing to look at youth talent to bolster their academy ranks, with Villarreal’s 13-year-old defender Aitor Landero now emerging as a transfer target.
Landero started out at the academy of Puerto Malagueno before making his way to the Villarreal youth setup. The 13-year-old left-footed central defender was on the radars of Real Madrid prior to his move to the Yellow Submarine, but they were unable to land him.
Since signing for Villarreal, Landero has made rapid progress within the age-group football levels and was named the MVP of the La Liga Promises tournament last time out. Likened to Pau Torres, who worked his way through the ranks at Villarreal to become a household name across Europe, Landero has displayed great potential, with Real Madrid working to sign him.
It has been a summer where Real Madrid have significantly focused on strengthening their youth ranks, from the Promises level to the Castilla outfit. There have been many recruitments made across age groups at La Fabrica as the Spanish capital giants look to set a plan in place to build future superstars from within the club.
Francisco Landero, MVP del torneo
Apuntadlo ✍️
? @LaLiga pic.twitter.com/IPtEa9YSeQ
— Xavi Jorquera Márquez (@xavi_jorquera) June 6, 2021
This has seen Real Madrid secure the signings of special talents such as Bryan Bugarin, Manu Romero, Jaime Vazquez, Victor Munoz Villanueva, Mario Rivas, among several others. Now, Landero seems to be the next youth prodigy that the La Liga heavyweights are going after, believing that the 13-year-old will grow into a star for the future.
While Real Madrid have signed players aggressively at the youth level, it has been hardly the same case with the first-team. There have been no additions made since the early arrival of David Alaba, that too on a free transfer after his contract at Bayern Munich ran out.
Having lost Raphael Varane and Sergio Ramos this summer, another central defender is very much on the agenda for Los Blancos, with Villarreal’s Torres himself emerging as a transfer target. What now remains to be seen is if Real Madrid are successful in landing the Spanish international as well as the youth prodigy, Landero, who has been likened to him.
