The 18-year-old has fought his way into the Real Valladolid first team after leaving Real Madrid's academy, and now seems primed for a big-money move
Vinicius Junior, fresh off World Cup disappointment with Brazil, was back in La Liga action and primed to rebound against relegation-threatened Real Valladolid. Instead, the Real Madrid winger barely got a kick, played out of the game by a relentless right-back.
Ivan Fresneda turned in a magnificent performance against one of the world's best on December 31, 2022, rendering Vini anonymous over a memorable 90 minutes.
Though he was far from unknown at the time, that showing displayed exactly what the 18-year-old right-back is capable of, and the kind of player he could someday become.
Aggressive in defence yet composed on the ball, Fresenda has the basic traits of a top-level full-back, and is both young and talented enough for some of Europe's biggest teams to be watching closely as the end of the January transfer window approaches.
But who is Fresenda, and why is he so highly-rated? NXGN takes a closer look at one of Spain's most promising youngsters…
Getty ImagesWhere it all began
Fresneda was born in Madrid in 2004, and after playing for local clubs EMFO Boadilla and CF Quijorna, was snapped up by Real Madrid's La Fabrica at the age of 10.
Though clearly a talent, he left the academy four years later to join nearby Leganes, a team struggling in La Liga but fresh off a miraculous Copa Del Rey semi-final run. There, he found more opportunities in the youth system, soon becoming a regular at full-back in their academy.
But bigger moves appealed, and Ronaldo Nazario-owned Valladolid snapped up Fresneda in 2020 as the Brazilian legend aimed to flesh out his club's youth ranks.
Fresneda was an immediate success, and worked his way into the Under-19s side at just 15 in July 2021.
AdvertisementThe big break
After a litany of full-back injuries in the Valladolid first team, manager Pacheta, then just four months into the job, invited Fresneda to join the senior squad's training sessions in December 2021.
Still just 17, he was handed his first-team debut not long after, playing 79 minutes in a Copa Del Rey loss to Real Betis. Fresneda was one of few players to impress in the 3-0 battering.
The Madrid native then played his first full 90 minutes three days after, winning three tackles as Valladolid squeaked out a 1-0 win over Burgos.
They proved to be his only two appearances of the 2021-22 campaign, but this season he has begun to hold down a regular starting role after breaking back into the team in early September, and has started seven of the last nine Liga matches that he has been available for.
How it's going
Watching Fresneda, it's easy to forget that he only celebrated his 18th birthday in September. The right-back is composed on the ball, strong in a tackle, and remarkably positionally mature for his age.
The Spanish international showed as such against Real Madrid when he locked down Vinicius in an immense performance. He frustrated the Brazilian winger for 87 minutes, allowing him to complete just one of nine dribbles.
That performance has only led to more transfer speculation, however, with a number of Europe's top clubs now showing an interest in signing Fresneda during the January transfer window
Getty ImagesBiggest strengths
Fresneda is rapidly developing into an all-round full-back, but he tends to lean on his defensive attributes. If nothing else, Fresneda is a fantastic tackler and one-on-one defender.
The Spaniard is in the 99th percentile among full-backs for tackles and 96th for clearances, per FBref. He's also a good reader of the game and is in the 91st percentile for interceptions.
Going forward, Fresneda is something of a mixed bag. Although he likes to make overlapping runs into the final third, Valladolid's lack of attacking production has made his statistical contributions limited. Still, his 17 shot creating actions suggest that there might be a real talent there.
The eye test suggests much of the same. The Madrid native has a notable composure on the ball, and never shies away from a duel. He's eager to get forward, too, and has a real burst of pace.