Real Madrid signing Sergio Diaz

sergio Diaz (centre) arrived at Real Madrid from Cerro Porteno in a reported €6m deal.
Real Madrid striker Sergio Diaz says he is not sure whether he will immediately join the first-team squad or play for the club’s Castilla reserve team first.

Diaz, 18, has joined Madrid from Cerro Porteno in a reported €6 million deal having gained a big reputation as an emerging star in Paraguay.

Interviewed at the airport on his way to a medical at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, the teenager said that he is delighted to be joining Madrid but is yet to be told what the club’s immediate plans for his development are.

“I am coming to the most powerful club in the world to help show the talent I have and what there is in Paraguay,” Diaz said. “I will give everything possible to do well. I still do not know who I will be doing preseason with, I guess they will tell me in the coming days.”

Another young Madrid attacker unsure of his future ahead of the new season is young playmaker Marco Asensio, who was excellent on loan at Espanyol last year and made his full Spain debut in a friendly ahead of the European Championship.

The €3.7m signing from Mallorca is due at the Bernabeu for preseason in the coming weeks, but has told reporters that he is not yet sure if he will stay with the first team beyond that.

“I am comfortable as I know I am doing preseason with Real Madrid and I’m not thinking of leaving,” Asensio said. “Then the decision will be made about what is best for me.”

Asked about a potential return to Espanyol, who have a new owner in Chen Yansheng and a new coach in Quique Sanchez Flores, Asensio suggested he would not be against that idea.

“Espanyol could be an option, I was very comfortable there,” he said.

Another Blancos youngster, centre-back Diego Llorente, appears set to go out on loan for another 12 months. Llorente impressed last season while at Rayo Vallecano and almost joined Villarreal recently, but Marca reports that Malaga are in pole position to sign the Spain under-21 international for the upcoming campaign.

With Castilla playing in the third tier next year having missed out on promotion, the future plans of Martin Odegaard, 17, are also yet to be decided. The Norwegian youngster has been linked in recent weeks with a loan move to Real Betis.