18 October 2023 , 10:28
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The son of late former Arsenal winger Jose Antonio Reyes has signed his first professional contract with Real Madrid.
Reyes Junior joined Real's academy at the age of 11, having previously played for Leganes, and he has now signed a professional deal after impressing for their Juvenil B side. "It's a very special moment for me," Reyes wrote on social media.
"I have signed my first professional contract with Real Madrid and I want to thank the club for their trust and my family for their daily support! I will keep working and pushing my hardest to go very far!"
Reyes Junior has also played for Spain's youth teams and seems to have a bright future in football, with Real moving quickly to tie him down to a new deal just days after he turned 16. Reyes' father spent the 2006-07 season on loan at Real, helping them win the La Liga title.
However, he is more well known for his time at Arsenal and boyhood club Sevilla. In his first season at Arsenal, Reyes was part of Arsene Wenger's Invincibles side which won the Premier League without suffering a single defeat.
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He also lifted the FA Cup in his second season with the Gunners and also played in the 2006 Champions League final where Arsenal lost 2-1 to Barcelona. He tragically died at the age of 35 in 2019 after he was involved in a high-speed crash.
Reyes was driving at over 135mph when the crash occurred, with the footballer and his 23-year-old cousin Jonathan Reyes dying as a result of the crash. "The speed limit in the area is 120kph," a spokesman for the Guardia Civil said.
"We can confirm it (the speed of the vehicle) was the main cause of the accident. Our investigation remains open, we do not know if there are more causes of the accident. But right now we can confirm that the main (cause) was the speeding, it was more than 220kmph."
Reyes Junior posted an emotional tribute to his father, posting an image on social media of the pair together with the caption: "This is the last moment we spent together dad. That day you gave me advice as always, but today you have gone and are not coming back and it is a very difficult day for me.
"I was and always will be very proud of you daddy. We didn't spend all the time we would have liked to together but only you and I know how much we loved each other. I know you will look after me from Heaven and I am never going to forget you. I love you dad."