Real Madrid on the verge of signing 19-year-old midfielder despite Barcelona, Atletico attempts – report | OneFootball

Contrary to reports over the past couple of days, Racing Santander midfielder Sergio Martinez is close to becoming a Real Madrid player, as per Jose Felix Diaz of AS.

The 19-year-old has attracted attention from several of Spain’s biggest clubs since making his first-team debut last season, when Racing were still in La Liga 2.

He even had the opportunity to leave during the winter transfer window, but Martinez chose to stay, helping Racing secure their long-awaited promotion to LaLiga. Now, everything points towards a move to the Santiago Bernabeu.

The current plan is for the midfielder to join the reserve team, Real Madrid Castilla, while also having opportunities to train with the first team and catch the eye of the senior coaching staff.

Choosing Madrid over La Liga

The most difficult part of the decision was giving up the chance to continue playing in the top flight, just two weeks after making his La Liga debut and scoring a spectacular goal.

In fact, reports on Friday suggested that Martinez rejected a move to Real Madrid as he did not wish to play in the third division with Castilla.

Sergio Martinez is set to join Real Madrid. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)

However, as reported by AS, Real Madrid’s appeal and the genuine possibility of eventually reaching the first team proved decisive in Martinez’s decision to accept the move.

The midfielder had already featured regularly for Racing towards the end of last season, making 10 appearances in La Liga 2.

His emergence continued into the new campaign, making his decision to leave the club’s first team all the more significant.

Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and Villarreal also tried

Over recent days, Racing and Martinez have received numerous calls from clubs attempting to change his mind.

Barcelona, Villarreal and Atletico Madrid all showed interest, but their approaches ultimately failed because of the player’s firm preference to join Real Madrid.

Martinez will become a part of the Castilla setup. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)

The Spanish capital club have also chosen not to simply trigger his €3 million release clause.

Instead, the Merengues have sought an agreement with Racing Santander, following a similar approach to previous operations and avoiding unnecessary tension in negotiations.

Real Madrid’s interest in Martinez is not a recent development. Los Blancos have been monitoring the Spain youth international for more than a season, and his emergence in La Liga has simply accelerated a process that was already underway.

At Valdebebas, Martinez is viewed as a talent to develop, with Castilla currently considered the ideal next step. His performances will also give him the opportunity to train with the first team and demonstrate that he can eventually make the jump to the senior squad.