This season we've seen something we haven't seen in a long time at Real Madrid. Due to the ongoing injury crisis, a number of academy players have been called up and given their first team debuts under Arbeloa, showing the managers trust in the youngsters he knows well from the academy system. These youngsters have shown loads of potential while being thrown into the fire, with one in particular catching eyes from the Premier League.
As being reported by Defensa Central (via Transfer News Live on X) Real Madrid are seriously considering an offer from Sunderland for midfielder Thiago Pitarch. The Premier League side are prepared to offer around €15 million for the 18-year-old, a figure Real Madrid see as 'too good' to turn down.
Pitarch wanted by Premier League club
Pitarch has made seven senior team appearances this season and has become a regular starter under Arbeloa partnering Tchouameni and Valverde creating a solid midfield trio. Pitarch has put in four impressive performances in the Champions League against Benfica and Manchester City, and has held his own and looked full of confidence which for an 18-year-old is impressive at such a young age.
At this early stage in his career the Spaniard has looked comfortable stepping up under the brightest lights, signaling he has an incredibly bright future on the horizon, but will it be for Real Madrid?
Real has a habit of loaning out their talented youngsters to develop elsewhere before resigning them a few years down the line. This is the formula the club used with players like Fede Valverde, Brahim Diaz and Endrick to name a few and it seems like Pitarch could be the next in line for a developmental move away from the Bernabeu.
A club like Sunderland would be a solid place for the youngster to spend a few years to devlop given the amount of presure there compared to Los Blancos is significantly lower but at the moment, this move would be a bad desicion from the perspective of Real Madrid.
Arbeloa clearly believes in the player and he has shown that even at this young age he has what it takes to play for the biggest club in the world, and hasn't shown any need for a move to another club for development or gametime. €15 million is a nice amount of money to bring in, but sacrificing a player like Pitarch isn't worth it in the grand sceme of things.