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<p>Market Value: €3 million</p>
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<img alt="Who is Víctor Valdepeñas? Real Madrid teenage defender being monitored by Arsenal" src="https://tmssl.akamaized.net//images/foto/galerie/valdepenas-spotlight-1768924707-187630.png" title="Who is Víctor Valdepeñas? Real Madrid teenage defender being monitored by Arsenal" />
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<p>Arsenal, currently leaders in both the Premier League and Champions League, are expected to have a subdued January transfer window for incoming players. After spending €295 million on eight first-team acquisitions in the summer, the focus has largely shifted to potential departures. Teenage attacking midfielder Ethan Nwaneri is likely heading out on loan to Marseille, while Oleksandr Zinchenko is nearing a permanent transfer to Ajax following a prior unsuccessful loan at Nottingham Forest. Nevertheless, one emerging talent that Arsenal is keenly observing is Víctor Valdepeñas, an 18-year-old defender from Real Madrid, whose current market value stands at €3 million.</p>
<p>Reports indicate that Arsenal has been keeping tabs on Valdepeñas since October, but with a contract binding him to Real Madrid until 2029, the decision now lies with the Spanish club. Valdepeñas progressed through Real Madrid's youth ranks after joining from Rayo Vallecano at just 12 years old. He made his first-team debut against Deportivo Alavés in December, where he started the match and played 78 minutes in a 2-1 LaLiga victory. Valdepeñas can adapt to both centre-back and left-back positions, which is likely to appeal to manager Mikel Arteta. We gather further insights on the young defender from Spain.</p>
<h2>Who is Víctor Valdepeñas?</h2>
<p>Iván Fuente, a Content Manager at <em>Transfermarkt</em> based in Madrid, has been closely following Valdepeñas and shares his thoughts: "He is versatile, capable of playing both left back and centre-back. With a height of 1.88m and left-footed, he is notably fast, with some reports suggesting he can reach speeds over 34 kilometers per hour. He is considered one of the most physically gifted players in Real Madrid's youth setup."</p>
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<p>Fuente adds, "His performances on the wing are impressive, showcasing excellent stamina. He has already made his debut for the first team." While it seems improbable that Arsenal would secure a deal this winter, the trend of young talents leaving the Bernabéu has occurred frequently in recent years. As Fuente details, "Real Madrid is generally open to allowing their youth players to depart, usually with the option to buy them back, as seen with players like Nico Paz and Dani Carvajal."</p>
<p>"However, it would be unexpected for them to let Valdepeñas go to a club like Arsenal, which likely wouldn’t agree to such buy-back conditions." Additionally, Valdepeñas has shown an eye for goal, netting four times in just 46 appearances for Real Madrid’s youth teams. Last summer, Arsenal acquired another young defender from Spain, Cristhian Mosquera, who made a solid impact before suffering an injury in December. There is a possibility that they may explore the market again to tempt Valdepeñas from the Santiago Bernabéu to the Emirates.</p>
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