The disastrous seasons by the Canary Islands’ two senior football sides looks certain to benefit the country’s most famous club.
As both UD Las Palmas and CD Tenerife come to terms with inevitable relegation from the top flight and 2nd Division respectively, some of their most promising starlets are set to move to giants Real Madrid.
According to media reports, both Canarian clubs have become much less attractive to their academy youngsters and at least three have already been confirmed as heading to the Spanish capital in the summer.
The trio are Las Palmas midfielders Adrián Guerra and León Westin, along with Tenerife forward Bame Tom, and the teenagers are already said to have signed contracts with Real Madrid.
In particular, the loss of Westin will come as a major blow to Las Palmas as there were very high hopes that he would figure in the plans for next season even though he is just sixteen. Westin, who can also play in central defence, is a youth international with Sweden – the country of his parents although he was born in Gran Canaria – and has already been dubbed a “wonderkid” and “the new Toni Kroos”, a reference to Real Madrid’s stylish German midfielder, who won numerous trophies with the club during his ten years there.
Tenerife’s embarrassing relegation to the third tier of Spanish football, which was confirmed at the weekend, and the lack of progression prospects for its youngsters are also believed to have led to moves by at least two other starlets to the youth setup at Villarreal and one to Atlético de Madrid.
Photo: MadridXtra Twitter
