Athletic Club is once again pursuing Castilla's top scorer, Cesar Palacios. Real Madrid is considering renewing his contract and then selling him, but with one condition: keeping 50% of his rights to maintain control over the young talent.
Cesar Palacios is one of the great talents of La Fabrica. He arrived at Valdebebas as a youth player after shining brightly at Numancia, after Real Madrid beat out, among other clubs, Athletic. It was the first time the Bilbao club had its eyes on the young talent; it would not be the last.
In 2024, Athletic became interested in Palacios again. However, while the white academy player was fulfilling a dream during the first team's tour of the United States, a serious injury stopped everything. It happened in the first friendly of the Soccer Champions Tour against Milan at Soldier Field.
The talented attacking midfielder knocked down the most difficult door of all at Valdebebas by making his first-team debut after replacing Luka Modric at halftime. But just seven minutes after entering the field, Palacios put his hands on his left knee and had to ask to be substituted.
On the bench, the desperation was evident. Palacios burst into tears as his teammates tried to comfort him. Tests later confirmed a torn cruciate ligament in his left knee; it was time to start over, and he came back stronger. Two years later, Cesar Palacios is smiling again and shining like few others.
He is one of the most complete attackers that Valdebebas has and can play practically any offensive position. He is an attacking midfielder who creates space and reads gaps well, but also helps in the build-up.
And if he plays as a No. 9, he brings goals, talent, and craft, and adds a great physical presence on the field. He is a footballer who arrives well and has a maturity in decision-making that is unusual for his age.
The numbers reflect it: he is the top scorer for Castilla in the Primera RFEF with 13 goals and 4 assists, and he also adds 1 goal and 1 assist in the Premier League International Cup. He stands out for his speed in decision-making, his first touch, and his quality of play. With the first team, he has already played five matches this season: three in La Liga, one in the Champions League, and one in the Copa.
Palacios' contract ends in 2027, and although he knows his cycle at Castilla must end this summer for him to keep growing, his focus is solely on the decisive stretch of the season. Achieving promotion with the white reserve team, which is in a playoff spot in Primera RFEF, and playing in the Premier League International Cup final against Borussia.
But he is not unaware of the offers nor the sirens' calls. His door has already been knocked on by several first-division clubs and also by teams from Europe. The latest is Athletic Club. That is where the formula Real Madrid is studying comes in: a renewal and a transfer, while retaining 50% of his rights to maintain control over the player.
Palacios' case also has a key detail. He was born and raised in Soria, where his father was playing when he came into the world. His parents planned for him to be born in Pamplona, but the birth came early and coincided with a Copa match for his father in Cordoba.
Even so, he was registered in the Navarrese capital, as evidenced by both his ID and the family registry. A detail that explains why Cesar Palacios meets the requirements of Athletic's philosophy.
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