In an interview, Guti, a Real Madrid legend and former coach of the club’s youth team, revealed that when he was coaching the youth team, he had recommended signing João Félix and Jadon Sancho before they were discovered by others, but both suggestions were rejected, leading to Real Madrid missing out on two excellent players.
After retiring, Guti worked for Real Madrid’s youth team from 2013 to 2018. During this period, he watched Félix and Sancho play in youth league matches and identified these two players as potential signings, which he recommended to the club, but received no response from Real Madrid.
Guti disclosed, “I saw Félix play in the youth league, where he dribbled past everyone. At that moment, I felt we had to sign this kid. We later met again in a match, and he scored three goals against us. Similarly, when I encountered Sancho playing for Borussia Dortmund’s youth team, I also believed this player was worth signing.”
However, Real Madrid did not heed Guti’s advice, resulting in the loss of two outstanding players. Regarding Félix’s current situation, Guti expressed sympathy, “He came to La Liga with a transfer fee exceeding 100 million euros. As a 19-year-old, he became a star in the league, with the club paying him a high salary. This meant he had to perform, causing him significant pressure, and perhaps he wasn’t fully prepared at the time.”