Manchester United step up their pursuit of Real Madrid's young hotshot striker
Louis van Gaal would have liked more goals from his Manchester United side
Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur will step up their pursuit of Real Madrid wonderkid Pedro Ruiz this month.
The 16-year-old striker has come to the attention of England’s biggest clubs through his goal-scoring form for Real Madrid and Spain Under-16s this season. While Ruiz has what could turn into a potentially lucrative professional deal on the table from Real Madrid, a few of the Premier League's big hitters are confident they can tempt him to follow the well-trodden path of leaving Spain to continue his development in England instead.
English scouts have been monitoring Ruiz for some time and will descend on the Basque country at the end of May to watch Ruiz again. He will be representing the Madrid region in the final stage of the national under-16 tournament, contested by regions rather than clubs. Madrid play Aragon in the first semi-final on 20 May in Durango, just outside Bilbao. The final, against either the Basque country or Valencia, is set for the same location on 22 May.
United, Tottenham, Everton and Southampton will all be there to watch Ruiz again, but the youngster is only likely to leave Real Madrid for a club of similar stature. United, keen to revamp their youth recruitment across Europe, are currently at the front of the queue.
The tall, powerful centre-forward, came to the attention of English clubs when he starred in the prestigious Al Kass tournament in Qatar in February this year. There his goals helped Real Madrid’s under-16s side to reach the final, putting him on the radar of Europe’s biggest sides.
Ruiz, who only turned 16 one month ago, had been part of the Real Betis academy from the age of eight but left to join Real Madrid’s set-up last year.
(© Independent News Service)
