The next Valverde? Real Madrid youth prospect raising eyebrows at La Fabrica | OneFootball

The Real Madrid youth academy has seen no shortage of young and talented footballers ready to make their mark in professional football.

Although a very few of them have been able to break into the first team, they have always remained in Real Madrid’s plans, as evidenced by the club’s desire to re-sign Nico Paz next summer.

The conveyor belt, therefore, hasn’t stopped producing, and the next big star pushing for a breakthrough from La Fabrica is Diego Lacosta.

The next Federico Valverde?

As reported by MARCA, Lacosta is turning heads at Valdebebas due to a profile that is almost a carbon copy of the club’s current star midfielder.

Just as Fede Valverde earned the nickname El Pajarito or The Little Bird for his slender frame and the way he seemed to glide across the pitch, Lacosta is now soaring through the academy with similar traits.

A tall, lanky midfielder with a powerful stride, Lacosta shares Valverde’s ability to cover every blade of grass. The youngster is described as a total engine, who is strong in duels, possesses a potent shot, and is capable of breaking lines with deep runs.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Diego Lacosta (@diegolacosta_)

His technical quality was recently highlighted by a spectacular assist for Real Madrid C against Orihuela.

Lacosta’s trajectory this season has been quite impressive. After arriving from Santo Domingo Juventud in 2020, he marked his breakout at the FIFA Youth Club World Cup this past summer. Since then, he hasn’t looked back.

Despite starting the campaign with the Under-18s, he has already debuted in the UEFA Youth League, notably winning a penalty against Olympiacos and scoring the winner in the mini-derby against Atlético Madrid.

The player’s mental maturity and competitive spirit have convinced the club to fast-track him; he is now a regular starter for Real Madrid C and has even made his debut for Castilla.