5 Real Madrid Academy Players to Watch out for

In total, 14 teams and around 250 players make up Real Madrid's academy.

Famously, Raul and Iker Casillas made their way all the way through to the first team, while Nacho Fernandez, Dani Carvajal and Jese Rodriguez have joined Carlo Ancelotti's squad more recently.

At Madrid, it is often perceived that the answer to problems is to chuck money at new players, but they are also working on bringing through their own.

Furthermore, there are several coming through at the moment with more than a hint of talent.

The following slides take a look at five of the teenagers tipped for future glory at Madrid or at another club competing in one of Europe's top five leagues at the very least. 

Marcos Llorente (30-1-95) Midfielder

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Carlo Ancelotti has already been seduced by the ability of Real Madrid Castilla midfielder Marcos Llorente.

Pablo Polo wrote in Marca in the summer that the Italian boss "is taken aback [by Llorente] as he was last year with Jese [Rodriguez]."

The 19-year-old joined Madrid's youth system in 2009 from Rayo Majadahonda, the very same club at which Barcelona scouted recent sensation Munir El Haddadi.

However, some might say Llorente was always destined to sign for Los Blancos.

His father, Paco Llorente, played over 100 games for Real Madrid between 1987 and 1994. Even more impressively, he is the great nephew of club legend and six-time European Cup winner Paco Gento.

On top of that, his grandfather, Ramon Grosso, played nearly 300 games for Madrid in the 60s and 70s.

Llorente describes himself on Madrid’s website as a "technical, skilful and agile player with good vision," and comparisons have been made with Xabi Alonso in the past.

Now playing in Zinedine Zidane's Castilla side, his next aim must be to breech the first team.

Jack Harper (28-2-96) Striker

One name worthy of British interest currently coming through the ranks at Real Madrid is Jack Harper.

Born in Andalucia to Scottish parents, Harper, a striker who can drift into wide positions, is a Scotland youth international.

He joined Madrid in 2009 and has since worked his way into the Juvenil A team. He must hope his next stop will be Castilla, although there's a chance he ends up in Real Madrid C as well.

It's his awareness in the box which marks him out from his teammates.

In a recent UEFA Youth League match against Basel, he scored with an excellent header. His bicycle kick off the crossbar led to Madrid's other goal in a 2-0 win.

Like Marcos Llorente, football runs in the Harper family, although nowhere near as impressively.

Jack's older brother, Ryan, has played professionally for a host of lower-league clubs in Spain, including Real Betis B. Meanwhile, the youngest Harper, Mac, plays for Vazquez Cultural.

"I'm good at getting away from my marker and am a strong finisher," Jack, 18, says of himself on Madrid's official website. 

Francisco Perez Ganfornina (20-1-96) Midfielder

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Could Real Madrid have the new Zidane on their hands?

Unlike Marcos Llorente and Jack Harper, Francisco Perez Ganfornina doesn't have family expectations weighing him down.

However, he has drawn comparisons to Zinedine Zidane, which may weigh heavy on his shoulders instead.

The 18-year-old joined Real Madrid in 2011, opting for Los Blancos over Barcelona as both fought for the Andalusian midfielder's signature.

Deceptively tall, like Zidane, he is elegant and assured on the ball. This has led to parents of other kids coming through at the club nicknaming him “El Artista.”

Currently playing alongside Harper in Juvenil A—the team which competes in the UEFA Youth League—it's extremely likely that he will be learning from Zidane himself as part of the Castilla squad by next season.

Someone close to the player told El Confidencial (in Spanish) that they don’t imagine Zidane was able to do the things Fran Perez is already doing at the age of 18.

The player himself, however, is much more modest.

"I can finish well with my head," he told Madrid's official website. 

Cristian Alberto Mendoza (2-3-98) Left Forward

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Slightly younger than the previous players, Cristian Alberto Mendoza is tipped to have an equally bright future, if not brighter.

Plucked from the Canary Islands by Real Madrid in 2013, the 16-year-old has a string of impressive forwards from his home whose footsteps he may be looking to follow in.

Juan Carlos Valeron of SuperDepor and Spain fame is the first that comes to mind, but current Spanish internationals David Silva and Pedro Rodriguez are currently flying the flag for the Canaries as well.

Meanwhile, Madrid's Jese Rodriguez and Barcelona's Sandro Ramirez are also expected to develop into stars.

Cristian was targeted by English clubs before he eventually chose Los Blancos, and after a few months in Cadete A, he is now playing for Juvenil C.

He is quick, skilful, explosive and also scores goals.

It's already been obvious in his short time at the club that he could accelerate through the setup quicker than most.

Luca Zidane (13-5-98) Goalkeeper

Enzo, Luca, Theo and Eliaz all play for various youth teams at Real Madrid, and they all happen to have Zinedine Zidane to call on as a parent.

The eldest, Enzo, is likely to be the first to make it at a club in Europe, but it is Luca Zidane who perhaps has the most ability.

Most surprisingly of all, considering his father's ridiculous talent as an outfield player, he is a goalkeeper.

"I'm good in one-on-one situations and in the air," Luca, who joined Los Blancos as long ago as 2004, told the club's official website.

For a 16-year-old goalkeeper, he is physically impressive, while he also boasts great agility.

He is already playing for the Juvenil B team.

It's difficult to judge the career trajectory of a young goalkeeper, though, as their careers often bloom later than those of the average outfield player.

However, if Luca continues to improve as he has so far, the only question will be how soon, not when, he blossoms.