6 European Under-21 Stars Who Should Be on Real Madrid's Radar
The 2015 European Under-21 Championship reaches its conclusion on Tuesday, with Portugal and Sweden meeting in the tournament's final at the Eden Arena in Prague.
As ever, the latest edition of the competition has been an extensive scouting exercise for a vast array of the continent's clubs, as everyone is looking to identify the game's next great talents.
Naturally, Spanish giants Real Madrid have been among those watching on, with the club's recent trend of signing young stars suggesting Los Blancos have kept a close eye on the action in the Czech Republic.
So, which of the tournament's players should be on Real Madrid's radar?
Across the following slides, we take a look at six.
Daniele Rugani
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Daniele Rugani may be just 20 years of age, but in 2014-15, the Italian completed more minutes in Serie A than any other player.
Starting all 38 of Empoli's league games, the centre-back spent 3,420 minutes on the field last season—the joint-highest figure in Europe's top five leagues, per Squawka—and did so with distinction, cementing his place among the brightest defensive talents in Italy and around Europe.
Tall, agile, disciplined and strong in the air, Rugani already looks like a polished defender and could play a significant role for Juventus next season if the Bianconeri decide to keep him in Turin, having purchased the remainder of his registration rights following a period of co-ownership with Empoli.
This summer, Rugani started all three of Italy's matches in the European Under-21 Championship, and he has already been called up to his nation's senior squad on one occasion.
For Real Madrid, the centre-back is one to keep an eye on and represents a potential alternative to Athletic Bilbao's Aymeric Laporte as a long-term defensive option if Los Blancos were to enter the market for an exciting young centre-half.
Max Meyer
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Though Max Meyer didn't enjoy the sort of successful European Under-21 Championship he would have hoped for, he's one of Europe's hottest young talents.
One of a number of emerging stars to come out of the Schalke production line, Meyer has enjoyed two strong seasons as an attacking midfielder at the Veltins-Arena in the Bundesliga. A regular in the league and a player who's already made nearly 20 Champions League appearances, the German has gathered extensive experience at senior level in rapid time. And he's only 19.
Of course, Meyer is one of the many precocious talents to be compared with Lionel Messi—the most daunting and unfair comparison there is—but one can see the similarities: a short stature, a low centre of gravity, obvious pace, exceptional ball control and a knack for maintaining possession under the pressure of challenges.
In the coming years, the Schalke midfielder is likely to be a regular in the German senior side, and it wouldn't be surprising if big clubs from England, Spain and Germany raced for his services.
Harry Kane
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In 2014-15, it took Harry Kane until November to score his first Premier League goal of the season for Tottenham. From that point onward, he added 20 more.
In an incredible breakout season, the Spurs academy product stormed to 30 goals in all competitions, becoming the second-most prolific striker in England behind Manchester City's Sergio Aguero.
Strong with both his head and his feet, comfortable with his back to goal and able to beat a man while in possession, Kane showed off a wonderfully rounded game and was undoubtedly the story of the Premier League season.
Naturally, Europe's elite took note, and in February, the Daily Mail reported that Real Madrid had scouted the Tottenham star three times.
Could he one day follow the path Luka Modric and Gareth Bale took from White Hart Lane to the Bernabeu?
Bernardo Silva
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Portugal have been the dominant side of the 2015 European Under-21 Championship, and a leading player in the side's success has been Bernardo Silva.
The attacking focal point of Rui Jorge's XI, the No. 10, along with team-mate William Carvalho, has been one of the players of the tournament and put on a sensational performance in the 5-0 semi-final rout of Germany. He scored Portugal's first goal, created the second and played a leading role in the fourth.
An attacking midfielder of pace, intensity, passing vision and outstanding close control, Silva was a leading player at Monaco under Leonardo Jardim in 2014-15, scoring 10 goals and registering four assists in all competitions for the Ligue 1 outfit.
Real Madrid are stocked with No. 10s in the form of James Rodriguez and Isco, but at just 20 years of age, Silva is one for Los Blancos to keep an eye on for the future.
William Carvalho
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OK, so he's not 21 or under. He's 23. But due to the eligibility regulations for the European Under-21 Championship (players are eligible if they are born on or after January 1, 1992), Sporting's William Carvalho has been available to Portugal for this summer's tournament.
Predictably, he's shining.
A powerful holding midfielder, Carvalho has used his superior size and strength to completely dominate midfield battles against younger and lighter opponents in the Czech Republic. To many, he's been the outstanding player of the competition.
Europe's big clubs are on notice too. According to the Guardian's John Ashdown, Arsenal, Manchester United, Liverpool, Manchester City, Tottenham, AC Milan, Ajax, Borussia Dortmund, Atletico Madrid, Inter Milan, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain all requested scouting tickets to this summer's Under-21 tournament.
With a buyout clause of £37 million, Carvalho seems to be sitting and waiting for an offer in Lisbon, and it seems inevitable that one of Europe's heavyweights will soon come knocking for this central general who, barring injury, could anchor a midfield for the better part of a decade.
Domenico Berardi
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Like Rugani, Domenico Berardi was one of the exciting young talents to take centre stage in Serie A in 2014-15. But whereas Rugani starred at the back, Berardi did so in attack.
In 32 league appearances for Sassuolo, the Italian scored 15 goals and tallied 10 assists, operating as a devastating winger in his side's 4-3-3.
Fast, full of audacious tricks and possessing a lethal left boot, the 20-year-old has specialised in cutting inside from his wide starting position on the right but can also play on the left or through the middle.
Previously co-owned by Sassuolo and Juventus, Berardi was permanently transferred to Sassuolo for €10 million in a surprise move in late June, but speculation has surrounded a possible buyback option for the Italian champions.
Regardless, the immensely promising Berardi is a player who should be on Real Madrid's radar.
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