Real Madrid ready to hijack Barcelona move for Malaga wonderkid

Real Madrid are showing serious interest in capturing the signature of Malaga wonderkid Antonio Cordero, better known as Antonito, in the upcoming January transfer window, according to Marca.

Barcelona have also been linked with a move for the youngster.

Real Madrid wanted to sign Antonito this past summer for the B team, Real Madrid Castilla. However, Malaga's commitment towards renewing the 18-year-old, whose contract expires on June 30, 2025, saw them turn down the proposal from Madrid.

Things haven't changed a lot since then, as Malaga's desire to extend Antonito's contract is currently in a state of limbo. They are well aware that within six weeks' time, the talented Spaniard will be free to negotiate a pre-contract agreement with either Real or Barca.

But neither team wants to wait until the summer. Both Real Madrid Castilla and Barca Atletic are threatened by relegation to the fourth tier as things stand. The clubs believe that adding a player with Antonito's quality and potential could save them from facing a demotion at the end of the current campaign. As such, a fierce transfer battle could be on the cards.

With Malaga, in the Segunda Division, Antonito already has three goals and three assists in 12 league appearances, out of which he has started just seven times.

He recently featured in three games for the Spain U19 side in their EURO U19 qualifiers, starting two games and coming off the bench in one. He scored a goal and had an assists in the 83 minutes he played against Faroe Islands U19.

Ultimately, the decision rests on the Malaga gem. The club are persistent in their efforts to have the player sign an extension, but his agent Pini Zahavi is currently among the most powerful football agents in the world. He is a close associate of Barcelona president Joan Laporta and also represents the likes of Robert Lewandowski and Hansi Flick. What happens in January would be interesting to watch, with Real also determined to sign one of Spain's brightest young talents.