A promising Winchester schoolboy footballer could be lining up a career with Spanish soccer giants Atletico Madrid.

Kings’ School Year 8 goalkeeper Alejandro Arguelles, 13, will link up with the famous La Liga club when he returns home for the summer holidays in July.

He has been selected for Atletico’s junior academy and will take his initial steps on the long road towards becoming a professional footballer under the guidance of former Atletico great Milinko Pantic, who oversees the club’s youth development and spotted Alejandro at a summer camp.

Alejandro (Ale), whose family live in Madrid, has boarded at Kings’ for the past two years, but can’t wait to get home and get his foot on the footballing ladder.

“I am passionate about Atletico Madrid. They are my club and it is my dream to play for them at the famous Vicente Calderon Stadium,” he smiled. “The club has enjoyed a fantastic season under Diego Simeone and it is wonderful they have qualified for the UEFA Champions League next season.

“That’s the first time since 1995/95 when we won the double.”

The talented youngster will say his farewells to King’s at the end of the summer term and combine soccer with his on-going education in Spain.

“I will have three hours training every day at the Academy where Fernando Torres learned his trade. It will be hard work combining it with lessons, but I’m determined to do it,” he said.

Ale’s parents Pablo and Ana work with British schools in England and he and his elder sister came to Winchester in 2011. “It’s been a wonderful experience. The education system is so different here and I’ve loved my time at Kings’.

“The school has sports facilities we do not have in Madrid and the education is so varied. I’ve learned so much, even as a 13-year old,” he added.

Alejandro caught the eye during Kings’ Hampshire Under-14 Cup winning run last season, saving a crucial penalty in the semi-finals against Salesian College, and making numerous fine saves as the Winchester side beat Petersfield 5-1 in the final at Southampton Solent University’s Test Park.

He also helped King’s reach the last 32 of the English Schools’ Under-14 Cup and the county cup semi-finals this season. Yet it was quite by chance that he ever got to playing in between the posts in the first place.

“I hadn’t played football until the age of nine years, but my friends wanted someone to play in goal in a park kick-about and it’s really gone from there,” he laughed. “Now I love the game – and sport in general – and have my heart set on it.” A

lejandro is a fine all-round athlete, with his skills not restricted to goalkeeping.

“My father Pablo was a superb footballer and was on the verge of joining Real Madrid when he sustained a serious injury, so I suppose it’s in the genes,” he chuckled. “I ran the 100m in the Hampshire Schools’ athletics in 11.09 and play on the wing for the school rugby team, also earning selection for Hampshire.”