Theo Hernandez confirms he will be joining Real Madrid as agreement with Atletico looms

Atletico Madrid starlet Theo Hernandez has all but confirmed that he will be joining Real Madrid ahead of the 2017-18 season. Barcelona were also monitoring the situation, but the France left-back said that playing at the Santiago Bernabeu has been his dream since childhood.

Theo has attracted the attention of the two La Liga giants after enjoying an impressive campaign on loan at Alaves.

The 19-year-old was tipped to become the long-term replacement for Filipe Luis at Atletico, but in April Marca claimed that Real Madrid were prepared to meet his €24m (£21.3m, $27.3m) release clause.

Barcelona reacted quickly to that news and tried to hijack the deal after Jordi Alba fell out with Luis Enrique during the last part of the 2016-17 season.

It was said that Theo had set his sights on a move to the Santiago Bernabeu, but in May agent Manuel Garcia Quilon refused to confirm those intentions after revealing that Barcelona had also made an offer to sign his client.

Since then, different reports in Spain have claimed that Theo's move to the Bernabeu is just a formality and the player has now all but confirmed it in a video that is doing the rounds on Twitter.

"I'm really looking forward to next season, I'm excited about playing with the best players in the world. I've just got to keep on working and fighting hard," Theo said when asked about his proposed move to Real Madrid during an event in Los Angeles.

Pressed as to whether playing for the Champions League winners is a dream come true, he added: "Yes, since I was a child."

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez later confirmed that Los Blancos expect to reach an agreement with Atletico in the coming days.

"We are talking to Atletico and I think we will reach an agreement," Perez told El Primer Palo.

Real Madrid are said to be ready to pay a little bit more on top of Theo's €24m release clause in order to avoid damaging their relationship with Atletico.