Real Madrid: Fede Valverde is a hidden gem and Modric’s possible successor

On a squad full of global superstars, Fede Valverde is Real Madrid’s hidden gem.

It’s no secret that fans usually love two types of signings: Big names and players who bring with them a set of skill that you don’t usually see everywhere. That’s why most eyes are usually focused on names such as Eden Hazard or Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo Goes. However, in the background of all this is a Uruguayan Real Madrid youngster who has quite literally fought his way to Zidane’s starting lineup: Federico Valverde.

Valverde has quickly risen to fame due to his performances with Real Madrid Castilla and Deportivo de La Coruña, as Julen Lopetegui was the man who decided to promote the midfielder in the beginning of last season along with Sergio Reguilon. Not many knew what he had in store, but after just a few performances, the Uruguayan proved that he can genuinely be an asset to the team whether as a starter in the “smaller” matches or off the bench when Los Blancos would need a little more control in the center of the pitch.

The 21-year-old still has a long way to go, but he has already proven himself to three separate managers at the club as Lopetegui, Santiago Solari and Zinedine Zidane all depended on him to a certain extent. Having said that, the most surprising part was him winning over Zidane, who has clearly put a lot of dependence on the ‘old guard’. Therefore, seeing this slight change is definitely good news for everyone who has been witnessing a midfield trio that has, in all honesty, been declining for quite some time.

Starting his career in his hometown, Real Madrid decided to purchase the midfielder in 2016 from Club Atlético Peñarol for the Castilla squad before loaning him to Deportivo de La Coruña. At Deportivo, Valverde was played out of position often, which made it difficult for him to do what he does best on the left side. But he was still able to show everyone exactly why he was purchased by Real Madrid, and his overall performances on loan earned him a return to Castilla. He was then promoted to the senior squad almost immediately.

Despite the cloud of uncertainty that came with Zidane’s appointment, Valverde’s place in the squad was never in doubt. In a summer where practically every single Real Madrid player had some minor chance of leaving, Valverde and Karim Benzema were both omitted from all speculation, because it was already clear that these were two players that Zidane would be counting on in the upcoming season – albeit for completely different reasons.

So far during the current season, the midfielder has been able to make five appearances, and he he registered his first assist of the season during Real Madrid’s latest match against Granada. He has appeared in most of Los Blancos’ games so far, coming on as a late substitute against Villarreal and Sevilla while he was a starter in the games against Osasuna, Atletico Madrid and Granada. Expect to see a lot more of him in the coming months, too.

One of his most shocking inclusions this season was against Atletico Madrid, but Zidane’s decision to play him was quickly justified when it was clear that he wanted a more compact midfield. This allowed Real Madrid to control the match and stop many of Atletico’s attacks from going forward.

With a little extra focus on the latest match against Granada, Valverde was positioned a little further up in the midfield than he’s normally used to and was able to give what was easily his best performance so far in the Real Madrid shirt.

The midfielder seamlessly took Luka Modric’s place in the squad for the game and never once seemed uncomfortable or unsure what his role required of him. This move has suggested that Real Madrid have finally found a replacement for the Croatian after years of wondering who will be the “chosen one “to take that place when Modric’s time comes (which, let’s be frank, has already arrived).

It may not seem so at first, but Valverde possesses speed and strength that we do not see from our other midfielders aside from Casemiro. His ability to fight off his opponent without causing a foul has proven useful against Granada and will do so again in his future matches. He’s also able to pick out a pinpoint pass before automatically moving into open space to receive the ball and break any pressure in the middle of the pitch. We have been able to see that in abundance against Granada and even saw glimpses of it versus Atletico Madrid.

It’s clear that Valverde has a “football brain” which, in general means that he’s able to read the game and prepare for upcoming scenarios before they actually happen. At 21 years of age, this isn’t something many players have and the fact that he’s able to do this at a young age only goes to show how valuable he can be for the club in the coming years.

Mateo Kovacic, Isco and even Dani Ceballos all tried and failed to win the manager’s trust, while Valverde kept his head down and waited for his opportunities on the pitch to show exactly what he could do. And he has done it time and time again.

“Fede has said ‘Here I am’. The boy wants to show his quality.”

Those were Zinedine Zidane’s words about the midfielder after his match against Granada and getting that type of praise from one of the greats in football only further proves the quality that Valverde has.

It has taken some time, but not only has the midfielder been able to win the trust and admiration of Zidane, he has also done so with the fans. Even though this is definitely a positive sign for the player, it also means that he’s quickly reaching what could be a very pivotal moment in his early career. Now that he has gained the right to have more people speaking about him, this comes with  the baggage that every single move he makes on the pitch will be under the microscope. We have seen what this can do with someone like Vinicius; let’s see how it plays out with Valverde.

It’s still early days, and I usually try to do my best not to over-hype a player. But with the way things are looking, it seems like Real have finally found Luka Modric’s replacement. Better yet, they did not have to pay a major amount to bring him in.

The future is extremely bright for Fede Valverde, so while it’s always great to see the tricks and goals from more attacking players, don’t let the Uruguayan gem pass through your mind without a second thought. He deserves it.