Real Madrid have one of the best academies in world football, with several young stars looking to break through in the 2025-26 season.
New manager Xabi Alonso may look to use some of Madrid’s upcoming stars to freshen up his squad and create the blueprint for his reign in the Spanish capital
Who could be next in line at Madrid to break into the first team and become a future star? Read on and find out.
Gonzalo Garcia
Garcia departed for last month’s Club World Cup as just another academy player. He returned from the United States as Madrid’s newest star.
The striker netted four goals in six matches, alongside one assist, and his strong displays on the global stage has opened doors for his career.
Several Premier League clubs are said to be interested in the 20-year-old, but Madrid want to keep hold of Garcia despite the fierce competition up front.
A loan to another La Liga clubs looks likely, but the striker has shown he can thrive if given opportunities by Alonso.
Go to Martinez
It is no secret that Alonso has been keeping tabs on the Real Madrid youth academy ever since he reached an agreement with the club.
Alonso wants to yield benefits from the club’s youth prospects and Martinez will reportedly be one of his top bets.
Though Martinez is still recovering from a torn cruciate ligament that sidelined him for the whole season, his performance during last year’s pre-season matches made a strong impression.
Madrid’s plan is simple but smart; ease Martinez back through youth matches while gradually introducing him to the rhythm of the senior team.
He will train regularly with the first team and is expected to become a familiar face in that setup, even if he plays matches for Castilla on the weekends.
If all goes well, he could even end up as Madrid’s fifth-choice centre-back before too long, a massive show of trust from Xabi Alonso and the club.
Chema Andres
According to AS, young midfielder Andres may have the clearest path to a first-team role at Madrid with Alonso at the helm.
While Real Madrid have several midfielders, there is a lack of depth when it comes to the defensive pivot position – and that is where Chema would come in handy.
The 20-year-old La Fabrica talent showed his ability under Raul at Castilla and earned brief appearances in La Liga and Copa del Rey under previous boss Carlo Ancelotti.
Having previously worked under Alonso during his Infantil A days, Andres stands a chance of making it on the big stage.
Iker Gil
Madrid have signed several academy players from Real Zaragoza in recent years, the proud Aragon club who were once La Liga mainstays but now languish in the Segunda.
And Gil might just be the best of the lot.
His progression has been meteoric, scoring a huge number of goals, being a regular in the Spain youth team set-ups and signing a professional contract with Los Blancos at the age of 16.
Gil suffered a bad knee injury in 2020 that kept him on the sidelines for almost a year, but is still only 20 and making a tentative comeback. One to watch.
Fran Gonzalez
Known for his reflexes, agility and shot-stopping, Gonzalez made his Madrid debut in last season’s 2-1 defeat to Valencia.
He has travelled with the first-team for pre-season tours and has been named in previous Champions League squads.
Despite several first-class goalkeepers standing in his path, Gonzalez should have further opportunities to stake his claim at the Bernabeu.
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