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Real Madrid News Real Madrid legend’s daughter joins the club’s La Fabrica youth academy The “father to daughter” football legacy is becoming an increasingly common sight, with more and more girls given the opportunity to play the sport professionally from a young age, particularly when raised around it. Real Madrid’s youth academy has already produced several such examples. Now, Ema Modric, daughter of club legend Luka Modric, has become the latest to join La Fabrica. Ema Modric arrives at Valdebebas As reported by AS, the 13-year-old, who previously stood out at AC Milan’s youth academy, has joined the club’s Cadete (U16) side. Merry Christmas! 🎅🏻🎄❤️🙏 pic.twitter.com/giC6frAbBj — Luka Modrić (@lukamodric10) December 25, 2020 The team kicked off their pre-season on Tuesday with their first training session at Pitch 10 of Real Madrid City, beginning with mobility exercises before moving on to passing and possession drills. The side, who will compete in the First Regional Cadet Division of the Community of Madrid this season, are led by Hector Bueno, assisted by Estefania Lopez, with Luis Palomeque as physical trainer and Antonio Marin as goalkeeping coach. This is not Ema’s first experience wearing Real Madrid colours. Born in Madrid in 2013, she previously played for Madrid CFF up until Alevin level, the club boasting Europe’s largest girls’ academy. This was before Real Madrid’s own girls’ setup, which only begins at Cadete level, became an option. Following a growing trend Ema’s arrival continues a pattern that has become increasingly familiar at Real Madrid in recent years. Maria Gonzalez, daughter of club icon Raul Gonzalez, joined the Cadete team back in 2022 and has been prolific ever since, scoring 47 goals last season alone, including a recent strike against Manchester City in Shanghai. The reserve squad has also featured Bibiana Casquero and Dolo Delgado, daughters of former professionals Javier Casquero and Matias Delgado, while Roberto Carlos’ daughter, Manuela da Silva, previously represented the Cadete side as well. Meanwhile, Modric was briefly linked with a return to Real Madrid in the summer as part of the club’s coaching staff. But the move did not materialise. Real Madrid News Real Madrid consider the signing of teenage midfield prodigy a ‘done deal’ – report As reported previously, Real Madrid have intensified their efforts to secure the signing of Racing Santander’s highly-rated midfielder Sergio Martinez, with the Spanish giants eager to wrap up a deal swiftly. The 19-year-old has become one of the most coveted young talents in Spanish football, prompting a fierce recruitment battle that also includes arch-rivals FC Barcelona. Contradicting reports on status of the deal According to journalist Ramon Alvarez de Mon, several insiders at Real Madrid already consider the transfer to be a virtually ‘done deal’. However, Mario Cortegana of The Athletic states that the agreement is not yet fully finalized due to persistent interest from rival suitors. Martinez possesses a highly enticing €3 million release clause. However, in line with their typical transfer strategy, Los Blancos are actively attempting to negotiate a fee with Racing rather than unilaterally triggering the buyout fee. A stunning La Liga introduction Martinez’s stock has risen exponentially over the last week following a remarkable La Liga debut. Having only recently transitioned out of Racing’s youth ranks, the Spain Under-18 international was handed a starting berth against Villarreal. He marked the occasion by scoring a spectacular goal to help his side secure a 2-2 draw. This immediate, high-profile impact has forced interested clubs to accelerate their timelines. Evaluating the ideal pathway Initially, Real Madrid’s sporting directors intended to immediately integrate the teenager into the Castilla side. However, his demonstrated readiness for senior football has altered the club’s thinking. The current framework of the negotiation could see Real Madrid permanently sign Martinez before immediately loaning him back to Racing Santander for the remainder of the 2026/27 campaign. This approach guarantees the player consistent first-team minutes in La Liga while securing his long-term future at Valdebebas. Nonetheless, to facilitate the transfer, discussions have also taken place regarding the possibility of sending an unnamed Real Madrid academy product in the opposite direction to supplement Racing’s squad. With less than two weeks remaining before the summer transfer window slams shut, Real Madrid are working to iron out the final details and officially ward off late competition for Spain’s brightest midfield prospect.