Chelsea and Man Utd want to poach 'Sergio Ramos 2.0' from Real Madrid

Tom Weber

Updated: 3 Aug 2024 16:32 BST
4 min read

Chelsea and Manchester United are interested in Joan Martinez, according to Spanish media.

Article continues under the video

The Real Madrid youngster has burst into the spotlight this summer, being called up by Carlo Ancelotti to take part in the first team's pre-season preparations while several senior defenders are either injured or still away on holiday.

Following the departure of club captain Nacho Fernandez for Saudi Arabia, Real Madrid have been deliberating what to do regarding the centre-back position, with Ancelotti recently ruling out making a signing. This is due to how highly rated Martinez is at Real Madrid.

Los Blancos consider him one of the biggest talents in their youth setup and the 16-year-old has already attracted comparisons to none other than Sergio Ramos, a player he reportedly idolised growing up.

Spanish media claims that Martinez snubbed interest from several domestic clubs, including Barcelona, to sign for Real Madrid as it was his dream growing up to play for the capital club. However, Martinez is not only highly regarded in Spain.

Chelsea, Man Utd interested

According to AS, Chelsea and Man Utd have begun taking a keen interest in Martinez's development, while other clubs around Europe are also monitoring his situation.

However, the outlet is quick to play down suggestions that Martinez could leave Real Madrid, with the club said to be calm regarding the youngster's future.

There is of course the eternal problem that Real Madrid face, which is that they are almost too good to afford academy graduates a chance. Last season, in light of Barcelona heavily relying on La Masia, Ancelotti came under fire for the lack of game time given to homegrown talent.

This is an issue that could confront Martinez in the future despite the fact that he is highly rated internally. The 16-year-old is unlikely to feature prominently in competitive games this early in his career and Los Blancos have shown themselves willing to cash in on their academy products.

Rafa Marin recently became the latest La Fabrica prospect to be sold despite an impressive loan spell at Alaves. There had been suggestions that he could replace Nacho, but he was eventually moved on to Napoli.

Chelsea and Man Utd will be well aware that this is a fate Martinez could also face in the future, though as things stand, there is little hope of poaching him, not least because he wouldn't be able to move to England until next year when he turns 18.