For young players, Real Madrid is one of, if not the hardest team to break into at such a young age. Considering the amount of superstar power in the first team squad both in the starting lineup as well as on the bench, there is hardly ever a place in the squad for the young academy graduates.
And unfortunately for those youngsters, it often means playing their football away from the Bernabeu. Such talent are usually loaned out or sold elsewhere in Europe to develop as players before sometimes returning to the club as more mature players with a better chance at getting game time.
This is the formula Madrid followed with Brahim Diaz, for example, who spent two seasons out on loan at AC Milan before returning in 2023 as a completely different player, more mature and developed than he was as a teenager.
And this has been the formula Florentino Perez's chiefs have used with three of their most promising prospects from Castilla, who could all be set for major returns in 2026, all of which would be welcomed by fans and by Xabi Alonso.
Three Real Madrid players who could return to the club in a big way in 2026
Nico Paz, Jacobo Ramon, and Chema Andres are all extremely talented prospects who are currently out on loan in Europe with Paz and Ramon playing at Como and Andres for Stuttgart, and all of them are thriving for their clubs, which Real Madrid is keeping a keen eye on.
All three players are eligible to return in 2026 and all of them could be major players for Real Madrid should they return. Nico Paz is all but confirmed to be returning, with the other two still undecided, but could be likely.
Nico Paz has been arguably one of, it not the best player in Serie A this season. Hes bagged six goals and six assists in 12 games and has taken home Man of the Match six times this season. The 21-year-old could be the creative playmaker in the midfield that Xabi Alonso has been lacking and could completely change the tempo of the team for better next season.
As for Jacobo Ramon and Chema Andres, no decision has been made as of yet on their returns but they would be welcomed should they come back. Ramon has been a standout defender at Como and given the defensive struggles and injuries, his return could be much needed to strengthen the back line.
As for Chema, he has been a standout in the Bundesliga controlling the tempo and positioning on the pitch, very similar to how Toni Kroos used to. The 20-year-old could finally be the Kroos replacement the club has been desperate for since his retirement. Real Madrid could be in for a major youth revolution next summer, something exciting for all fans to look forward to in the new year.