Real Madrid’s rivalry with Barcelona is probably one of the fiercest in the footballing world. They are undoubtedly two of the best teams in the world and always try to get the better of each other. Their rivalry extends beyond the pitch and into off-field matters.
Real currently have the advantage of having a better team on paper than Barcelona, although the results have not always fully reflected that. Meanwhile, it is no secret that the Los Blancos board is always looking to strengthen their squad and invest in future stars. In fact, it looks like Real might have just signed a highly-rated former Barcelona youth player.
It is well known that Barcelona have a great youth academy that has produced some of the best players in history. Lionel Messi, Xavi, and Andres Iniesta are some of the legends who have graduated from La Masia, and youngsters like Lamine Yamal and Pedri are carrying that legacy forward.
Anyway, reports have emerged suggesting that Real have signed a former La Masia prospect who will be eager to prove himself after switching sides. Indeed, Matteo Moretto has confirmed that Real have secured the signing of Clifford Nana.
Former La Masia youngster joins Real Madrid ready to get going
The new Real signing, Nana, left La Masia in 2023. Recently, he has been turning heads with his performances at youth level. The Ghanaian youngster has scored seven goals in just 11 appearances for CF Damm’s Cadete A side this season.
So the signs are certainly there that he could turn out to be a star in the future. He has the pace, the power, and the most important aspect for a forward, a natural instinct for scoring goals. That said, he still has to put in the work and continue developing.
In the meantime, Cesc Fabregas’ name comes to mind, as the Spaniard left La Masia similarly and went on to become a top midfielder in the Premier League for Arsenal, which prompted Barcelona to re sign him in 2011. So the Catalans might already be regretting the decision to let Nana leave, even more so now that he has joined Los Blancos.
Having said all that, it is still too early to draw any conclusions. For now, Real should focus on Nana’s development, as he is not an immediate solution to their problems but rather an investment for the future which looks promising.