Real Madrid and Barcelona Reported to Be Battling over Transfer of French Teen

Real Madrid will reportedly go head-to-head with La Liga rivals Barcelona in pursuit of Marseille teenager Maxime Lopez. 

According to Spanish outlet Sport (via Stuart Ballard in the Daily Express), both clubs have expressed interest in the midfielder, who has drawn comparisons with Andres Iniesta, and Real are said to hold the advantage as current manager Zinedine Zidane is Lopez's idol.

The 19-year-old came through Marseille's youth ranks to the senior side in 2016 and enjoyed a breakthrough campaign last season.

In 2016-17 he made 30 Ligue 1 appearances, netting three goals and providing seven assists, while he has played in four of Marseille's five French top-flight matches so far in the new campaign, per WhoScored.com.

It is not immediately obvious where Lopez would fit in Real's squad.

The France under-21 international can play either as a No. 10 or slightly deeper in central midfield, but it is unlikely he could unseat the likes of Isco, Marco Asensio, Toni Kroos, Luka Modric or Mateo Kovacic.

However, Real may well see him as a future star who could be nurtured at the Santiago Bernabeu before becoming a key first-team player.

The Madrid club like to snap up talented youngsters and are also reportedly close to completing the signing of 17-year-old Rodrigo.

According to Jose Felix Diaz of Marca, the Brazilian midfielder needs only to pass a medical before his transfer from Gremio Novorizontino in his home country is completed. 

Diaz added Rodrigo will not actually move to Real until next season, when he has turned 18, in a similarly structured deal to that agreed for Flamengo's Vinicius Junior.