Newcastle United

Newcastle United: two Real Madrid starlets – a rundown

According to a report in the Shields Gazette written by Miles Starforth, Real Madrid are on the point of firming up their interest in Newcastle’s French midfielder Moussa Sissoko.

After an excellent showing in France’s run to the Euro Final on home soil, Sissoko’s stock rose so much that teams like Los Blancos took interest in the Frenchman and Newcastle became aware that his performances had been such that Sissoko was, in essence, a wanted man.

Wanted has a price and in the case of Sissoko this price is a cool £35m (€41.2m), this is the price that Newcastle have placed on his head and the price at which the Magpies would entertain offers for his services.

However, Spanish publication Fichajes.net says in an article that Los Blancos are unwilling to meet the ‘cash’ price needed to bring Sissoko to the Santiago Bernabau. What they do say is that “Real Madrid already know that Newcastle United is willing to negotiate,” what with Sissoko wanting to take his services elsewhere and not prepared to play in the Championship.

Fichaje.net go on to say that “Madrid would be willing to pay about €30m (£25.2m) [which]could be increased with variables and even a player,” before going on to name two particular Madrid youngsters, Marcos Llorente and Mariano Diaz, who worked under Rafa Benitez during last season’s pre-season.

Llorente and Diaz – eyes on two Galaticillos

Marcos Llorente

Madrid-born 21-year-old Llorente has come up through the famed youth set-up at the Bernabau with him progressing from Madrid Youth, through the Under-18s and Under-19s before being promoted into the Real Madrid Castilla team – essentially Real’s reserves who play in Segunda División B, the third tier of Spanish football.

Most of Llorente’s football (58 games) has been at this level, a level where he has scored three goals and provided fours assists. He does have very limited first team experience, appearing in two La Liga matches (24 minutes) this season just gone against Levante (14 minutes) and Las Palmas (10 minutes).

Mariano Díaz

Dominican Republic striker Díaz, like Llorente, has made his way through the Madrid Youth set-up after arriving from Segunda División B side Badalona at the beginning of October 2011. he’s moved to Real Madrid C, from the Under-19s before playing for two seasons in the Real Madrid Castilla side.

However, what sets him apart from Llorente is that he has been promoted to the first team set-up for next season, according to website Transfermarkt. This is likely due to the volume of goals that he has scored in Segunda División B where he has played most of his football. To date, Díaz has played 64 games in Spain’s third tier, scoring 45 goals at the rate of a goal every 89 minutes.

Last season in the Segunda División B, 23-year-old Díaz played 28 games, scoring 25 goals at the rate of a goal every 68 minutes. This haul included three hat-tricks and a streak of eight consecutive games with a goal to end the season. There is little doubting that Díaz is dazzling and deserves the reputation he has gained as something of a goal machine.

Data derived from Marcos Llorente and Mariano Díaz‘s player profile pages on Transfermarkt
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