Atletico Madrid hero Diego Forlan is backing Fede Valverde for great success with Real Madrid.

Forlan was a teammate of Valverde's at Penarol in the 2015/16 campaign.

"He has the qualities to keep growing," Forlan told Radio MARCA when asked about Valverde.

"He's a good boy, a good professional.

"I'm not at all surprised by what I'm seeing of him, because [his qualities] were already there.

"He is gaining confidence, maturity, experience and is a player that Real Madrid's supporters will enjoy for many years.

"I'll risk saying that he can become in midfield what Sergio Ramos has been as a defender.

"I'm not surprised by his emergence, because it comes with age.

"Nowadays he's realising where he is and he's [now got] the maturity of life.

"That will help him a lot; the confidence, maturity, knowing the conditions he has and that he is appreciated a lot at the club."