Report: Atlético Madrid youth talent Javier Fernández already training at Bayern Munich

Per Sky’s Florian Plettenberg, Bayern Munich’s acquisition of youth midfielder Javier Fernández from Atlético Madrid is currently only held up by the player’s age — as the transfer from another country to within Germany will require the player to turn sixteen:

News Javier Fernández: The 15 y/o super talent from Atlético will join FC Bayern as soon as it‘s possible. A transfer now is not possible due to his age. He has to turn 16 first. The central midfielder is training at Bayern already and made a good impression.

Bayern Munich have been busy this transfer window with a number of outgoings from its youth ranks, whether on loan or permanent transfer. Correspondingly, Fernández is joining the crop of players coming in at the other end of the FC Bayern talent pipeline — and apparently is yet another coveted prospect.

Even if the percentage of promising young stars who blossom into full professionals is not all that high, it’s encouraging to see the club out-muscling other big clubs in Europe. Fernández would be the second notable youth signing this summer from Spain — the other being sixteen-year-old left-back Adam Aznou, formerly of none other than FC Barcelona.

Bayern do not yet have a campus with the reputation of Barça’s La Masia, but the board will be hoping a stronger youth setup, bolstered by investments as well as signings like these, will pay dividends down the road.

Time will tell how these players fit in with the German record champions, but sounds like Fernández is getting a head start!