The ‘new Messi’ tag is to this generation what the ‘new Maradona’ tag was to the last.
Whenever an emerging attacking talent arrives on the scene in Argentina, he will be burdened with the expectation of matching his predecessor’s achievements.
It burdened the likes of Pablo Aimar and Javier Saviola, both called ‘the new Maradona’ during their youth, but Lucas Patanelli will hope comparisons with Messi will not hold him back.
And things seem to be going well so far, with Real Madrid moving for the 15-year-old Indepediente player.
According to Spanish publication AS, the 15-year-old has signed a pre-contract agreement with Real Madrid.
He is unable to sign a full contract before his 16th birthday, under FIFA rulings, but it seems the Spanish club have everything in place.
Patanelli would join fellow wonderkid Martin Odegaard at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, and may have been swayed by the chances that the Norwegian teenager has received.
