16-year-old Real Madrid starlet already impressing José Mourinho in first-team training | OneFootball

New Real Madrid head coach José Mourinho has had his head turned by the early performances produced by Cherif Fofana at the club’s training base this week.

Cherif was one of the more surprising inclusions in Mourinho’s first round of call-ups for pre-season training on Monday.

The starlet has just one year of football in Blancos colours under his belt, and spent last season plying his trade with the club’s U17s.

After learning of his profile and playing style – Cherif is an all-action defensive midfielder – though, the incoming José Mourinho made the call to draft the 16-year-old into the senior setup at Valdebebas.

And as alluded to above, Cherif has since not wasted any time in making his presence felt…

As per a report from Diario AS:

‘Cherif is making a special impact. He’s different. Despite his age, he’s trained under Mourinho. And sources at Valdebebas suggest his name should be highlighted.’

Already drawing comparisons with French icon N’Golo Kanté, the Spanish youth international’s fully committed style is one very much appreciated by the latest hire on the Real Madrid bench.

Cherif Fofana – a name to keep an eye on in Madrid over the months and years to come…

Conor Laird – GSFN