Real Madrid have reportedly slapped a €10 million price tag on academy striker Juanmi Latasa, who is linked with an exit from the club this summer.
According to Spanish journalist Sergio Santos, Real Madrid are demanding a transfer fee of €10 million for young striker Juanmi Latasa, who could be on his way out of the Santiago Bernabeu in the ongoing transfer window.
Latasa is a product of the Real Madrid youth academy, having joined La Fabrica in 2016 from Union Adarve. The 21-year-old striker has enjoyed a steady rise through the ranks at the club and has become an integral part of Real Madrid’s Castilla outfit over the past couple of seasons.
Indeed, under the watchful eye of Real Madrid icon Raul Gonzalez, Latasa has notched up 18 goals and an assist from 50 matches for Castilla. He made his first-team debut for Los Blancos in a La Liga game against Cadiz in May earlier this year, which remains his solitary appearance for Carlo Ancelotti’s side.
Latasa was tipped for a bigger role in the senior setup this season as Real Madrid allowed Luka Jovic and Borja Mayoral to leave and are actively trying to offload Mariano Diaz. It leaves them with no natural backup for Karim Benzema in the No. 9 role. There have been links with new strikers, but Ancelotti and president Florentino Perez insist that Real Madrid’s business in the current window is done.
So, naturally, Latasa would have been an option for Ancelotti to provide cover in the centre-forward position. However, the 21-year-old was hardly used by the Real Madrid boss during the pre-season tour to the United States, leading to doubts within the player over his game-time.
Hence, Latasa is now believed to be open to leaving Real Madrid, with Getafe already showing a keen interest in his services. Despite signing Mayoral from the reigning La Liga champions, the Azulones want to add Latasa to their ranks as well, and have opened talks with the Merengues over a possible deal.
Real Madrid are seemingly open to letting go of their academy product and are now demanding a sum of €10 million to sanction his departure. Whether Getafe or any other interested club are willing to meet that valuation for a striker with just one senior appearance to his name remains to be seen.