Real Madrid trump Athletic Bilbao to land Biscayan superkid Lawrence

Posted Sunday, February 08, 2026 by tribalfootball

Real Madrid has signed one of the most promising youth players in Biscayan football for next season: left winger Lawrence Osayande.

Osayande currently plays for Santutxu in the DivisiF3n de Honor after having been part of the Lezama youth academy. The decision was made by his mother after accepting Real Madrid's offer for her son to join the La F1brica youth system.

The family will move to the Spanish capital in June, reports AS.

Athletic Bilbao tried desperately to retain him, but were unsuccessful despite submitting a counter-offer in recent weeks. Other clubs had also been closely monitoring his progress.

Lawrence, born in Bilbao 13 years ago, raised in Sestao, and of African descent, is having a remarkable season, scoring 12 goals in the first half of the year for Santutxu's youth team.

Santutxu is one of the clubs in Bilbao that excels at developing young talent, operating out of their Mallona facilities alongside Danok Bat. Already over 1.80 meters tall, Lawrence is left-footed, powerful, and fast.

A regular in the Basque Country youth teams, he chose to leave Lezama in June, opting not to renew his contract with the club, in order to join Santutxu.