Man Utd and Chelsea monitoring Real Madrid defender who’s been compared to Sergio Ramos

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Joan Martinez Real Madrid
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Real Madrid have a promising young talent coming through the academy ranks in the form of 16-year-old defender Joan Martinez, who idolizes club legend Sergio Ramos.

Rated very highly inside the club, the teenage centre-back made his unofficial first-team bow in the pre-season friendly against AC Milan earlier this week and gave a good account of his defensive talents.

While he is reportedly focused only on establishing himself in the Spanish capital and following in the footsteps of the four-time Champions League winner who is regarded as one of the most accomplished players to wear the club's legendary white jersey, Martinez is also drawing considerable attention from other clubs.

That's according to Spanish outlet AS, who say Premier League duo Chelsea and Manchester United have expressed an interest in signing Martinez from Real Madrid.

Chelsea and Manchester United are known for their aggressive pursuit of young, promising players from other clubs. Chelsea, in particular, has made a habit of signing up-and-coming talents from teams around the world.

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Manchester United is also actively seeking to bolster their youth ranks, with recent reports suggesting they are on the verge of securing deals for two exciting prospects. The Red Devils are said to be close to finalizing an agreement for Chido Obi-Martin, a 16-year-old who could potentially feature in the senior squad at times next season, despite his young age.

Moreover, United are also nearing a deal to bring in Samuel Lusale, a highly rated 16-year-old striker from Crystal Palace. 

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Abhinav Sharma is a Content Producer for The Sporting News' India edition.
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