Two white club technicians comb the tournament watching several young players, but especially the Argentinean half Matías Palacios. The U-17 World Cup in Brazil is the biggest showcase in the world for young people. Vitoria, Brasilia and Goiana, the three venues where it is played, have become since last week a comings and goings of club scouts and agents of soccer players. Among them, there is representation of the Spanish clubs: Madrid has sent two technicians, the same as Barcelona and Atlético (they send one to cover the games that are played in Vitoria and the other for those played in Brasilia and Goiana). Valencia or Betis, among other Spanish clubs, also have employees making reports these days, although in most cases they only send a scout to the tournament . You cannot take players to another continent until they are 18 years old, but here the bases are laid.
In the case of Madrid, the device has been coordinated by Juni Calafat , who in addition to being the head of the international football department of Madrid is Brazilian and knows perfectly the terrain where the tournament is played. In fact, it is not ruled out that Calafat himself moves to the World Cup at some point (the final is played on November 17).
In this tournament there are soccer players that Madrid has been following for a long time . Players who have magnificent reports and who in this championship can take the definitive step forward so that the white club decides to sign them, giving continuity to the policy of capturing the best young people in the world that Madrid has lately followed. Seven stand out above the rest: Matías Palacios (Argentinean of San Lorenzo), Talles Magno (Brazil, Vasco da Gama), Naci Ünüvar (Netherlands, Ajax), Adil Aouchiche (France, PSG), Samson Tijani (Nigeria, Collins Edwin FC) , Johan Mina (Ecuador, Emelec) and Fernando Ovelar (Paraguay, Cerro Porteño) .
Among them, Madrid has a name marked in red: Matías Palacios . This is the star of Argentina, which debuts today against Spain (21:00, GOL) . He is a very technical midfielder, right-handed, and with the ability to carry the ball attached to the foot (it measures 1.71m.). The 10 Argentine of a lifetime. On September 21, 2018 he made history by becoming the youngest footballer to debut with San Lorenzo (with 16 years, four months and eleven days). Last April, his club blinded him: clause of 20 million dollars (about 18 million euros) and contract until June 2022. A high figure, although affordable for Madrid considering the 45 that cost Vinicius and the 40 by Rodrygo.
Among the other six players that Madrid likes, there are two impossible ones: Aouchiche (top scorer of the last U17 European Championship with nine goals) and Ünüvar. PSG and Ajax do not hear offers for them.
In the rest, clubs would be willing to sell, although the problem is high competition. A Johan Mina , for example, also follows closely the Barcelona. At the same time, all the great clubs are present in this tournament in search of talents (United, PSG, City, Dortmund ...). That causes a bid that forces you to pay large amounts. Rodrygo or Vinicius are the best example. A case that can be repeated in this tournament with Talles Magno , the star of Brazil (and probably of the tournament) which in addition to Madrid are followed by all the greats of Europe.
In the case of Tijani or Ovelar, their departure would be more affordable, although as long as other great Europeans do not advance. In addition, the presence of scouts of Madrid has a double mission : to complete reports on the players they already had on the radar and add new ones. It would not be the first time that a great club travels to see a player and ends up keeping an eye on another.
There are three weeks of football left to analyze them and, if necessary, try to get ahead of the rest of the big clubs. Buffon, Neymar, Marcelo, Coutinho, Iniesta, Figo or Totti are some of the endless list of players who played this tournament in the past. Logic indicates that the next big crack in world football is in Brazil these days . Now it takes smell to get it right ...
Armor of 'El Ciclón' to Matías Palacios
Two weeks before he turned 17, last April, San Lorenzo was healed in health by renewing his jewel until 2022. Knowledgeable at the showcase club that this U-17 World Cup represents, he established a clause of 20 million dollars, About 18 euros.
Barça is ahead with Pedri
The logical thing will be that this U-17 World Cup will change the race for many of the players who are immersed in the competition. Many clubs have sent scouts to Brazil, where they will catch talent before these players finish exploding and put themselves at an almost unattainable price. Barça, however, advanced the work in summer with the signing for 6 million euros of Pedro González López, known as Pedri, Las Palmas canterano . The Barca club, however, has left him on loan in the first Canarian team this season. One of the referents of Spain in this World Cup is compared with Iniesta. He usually plays on the left wing.
The cracks that Real Madrid follows in the U-17 World Cup
Matías Palacios (Argentina, 16 years old)
The youngest to debut with the first team of San Lorenzo de Almagro . It is mediocentro.
Talles Magno (Brazil, 17)
Forward, it is a fixture in a historic like Vasco da Gama despite his youth. It is already 1.86. Physical power, speed, ability and definition.
Adil Aouchiche (France, 17)
The great hope of the PSG quarry . He dazzled in the last Euro Under-17: nine goals in five games . He likes to play behind the striker.
Samson Tijani (Nigeria, 17 years old)
The pivot of the Collins Edwin of his country was key in fourth place in the last Africa Cup U-17. He made a double on the first day in Brazil.
Fernando Ovelar (Paraguay, 15)
Very young midfielder of Cerro Porteño . The youngest scorer in the Paraguayan first division (14 years, in the classic against Olympia) . Fast and technical.
Naï Ünüvar (Netherlands, 16)
Extrema of Ajax, with which he became the youngest scorer in the Youth League in 2018.
Johan Mina (Ecuador, 17 years old)
The Emelec striker was a pichichi of the South American Under-17 , with six goals.
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