Real Madrid’s academy, the Dani Carvajal route and dilemma facing youth players
When you think of Real Madrid, you probably think of their headline Galactico signings down the years — from David Beckham to Cristiano Ronaldo and from Ronaldo Nazario to Jude Bellingham.
But times are changing. Though Madrid signed Bellingham from Borussia Dortmund this summer for a fee that could rise to a club record, they failed to secure the attacking reinforcements desired by head coach Carlo Ancelotti for the third year in a row. They barely made any effort to bring in the striker the Italian personally requested, Harry Kane, and were made to wait again for Paris Saint-Germain’s Kylian Mbappe.
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Madrid had been waiting in the background to see how Mbappe’s situation progressed after the France captain told PSG he would not extend his contract. But the 24-year-old decided to stay, renouncing a bonus he was owed while not activating the option of an extension in his deal. PSG are confident Mbappe will be open to renewing during the season, but Madrid will be keeping a close eye on developments.
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In the meantime, Madrid’s front-line options are limited. Ancelotti has just Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo, Brahim Diaz and Joselu at his disposal — and Vinicius Jr is out with a thigh injury, although there is optimism about his predicted return date. Bellingham has scored five in his first four appearances, but it would be a gamble to rely on him making up for Karim Benzema’s goals throughout the season after the Frenchman left for Saudi Pro League side Al Ittihad.
Even so, one senior club source — who, like others in this piece, asked to speak anonymously to protect relationships — saw the lack of forward signings this summer differently.
“Our squad is excellent and, if setbacks arise during the season, we have the players from the academy,” they told The Athletic.
Known as ‘La Fabrica’ (The Factory), Madrid’s academy is one of the most productive in Spain. Last season, The Athletic found that 55 active La Liga players had been on their books at some point in their early careers. But the route from the youth ranks to the first team has not always been clear.
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Under Ancelotti, academy players have struggled to make the step up to the senior side. In the two seasons after the veteran coach returned to the Santiago Bernabeu in June 2021, he gave just 474 minutes in 26 matches to nine players from La Fabrica. There have been no chances for the club’s homegrown youngsters in four matches this campaign, even with serious injuries to goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, Eder Militao and Arda Guler as well as muscular problems for Vinicius Jr and Dani Ceballos.
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That is why more and more players are opting for the ‘Via Carvajal’ (Carvajal route) of leaving the club in the hope of later returning — just as the long-time right-back did when Madrid re-signed him from Bayer Leverkusen for a €6.5million (£5.6m, $7m in today’s money) buy-back clause in 2013. Since then, the 31-year-old has made 379 appearances for the club and lifted 22 trophies.
There are other examples in Madrid’s present squad.
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Fran Garcia was coached at La Fabrica but moved to Rayo Vallecano in 2020 (initially on loan). This June, Madrid exercised a buy-back clause of €5million to seal the left-back’s return. Lucas Vazquez left Real Madrid Castilla (the club’s youthful reserve team) in 2014 and returned following one season at Espanyol after Los Blancos paid his €1million buy-back clause. And summer loan signing Joselu (also from Espanyol) played for Castilla before ending up back at the Bernabeu via clubs including Stoke City, Newcastle United and Alaves — although his case was different given he joined Madrid’s academy when he was 20 and returned after 11 years away.
It has not completely worked out for everyone, but recent experience suggests it is the best way for a Madrid youth player to succeed. Mariano Diaz left for Lyon in 2017 and returned a year later, but the striker scored just 12 goals in 84 appearances in that second spell before being released this summer and joining Sevilla. Marcos Llorente enjoyed a fine season on loan at Alaves before crossing the divide to city rivals Atletico in 2019 with his path blocked in midfield. Alvaro Morata, meanwhile, was sold to Juventus in 2014 for €20million, returned two years later for €30m and then left again for Chelsea in 2017.
For those connected to Castilla players, there is a sense of resignation at the situation.
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Various agents and relatives told The Athletic that training with the first team and making Ancelotti’s squad was already seen as a success for the youngsters, but that their goals were increasingly distant from the Bernabeu, so as not to create false expectations. Castilla head coach and Madrid legend Raul — who is in talks over the vacant manager’s post at Villarreal — understands the lack of opportunities despite his near-daily communication with Carlo and Davide Ancelotti, while academy directors say their players should be ready to help the first team’s needs when called upon.
But the situation could be about to change in the medium term. A senior source said that inflation and the emergence of state-run clubs such as Manchester City and PSG would force Madrid to look closer to home to cover gaps in their squad rather than making lots of new signings. They pointed out that six outfield players had left this summer but just four had come in.
“Real Madrid can no longer bring in the six players the club needs every summer to cover the shortcomings of the squad,” they said. “If this scenario does not change, we will see more and more academy players in the first team — not just by choice, but more by necessity.”
It helps that Castilla have just experienced one of their most successful seasons in recent years under Raul, narrowly missing out on promotion to the second division through the play-offs. The senior source also highlighted the number of Spain youth internationals the academy has provided recently and the number of players training with Ancelotti’s first team.
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Forward Gonzalo Garcia, centre-back Marvel and full-back Vinicius Tobias are all impressing for Castilla and may find themselves in line for the first team at some point this season given Madrid’s injuries. Midfielders Mario Martin and Nico Paz are also highly rated but they play in the most overloaded part of the pitch for Ancelotti’s team.
Then again, fans had similar hopes for last season’s crop of talented youngsters, which included attacking midfielder Sergio Arribas, centre-back Rafa Marin and midfielder Carlos Dotor. Arribas has since left for Almeria (he scored against Madrid in the second game of the season), Marin is on loan at Alaves and Dotor has joined Celta Vigo.
The current crop will be hoping instead to follow the example of Nacho Fernandez, the Madrid-born defender who came through the academy and has made 321 appearances for the first team. He now captains the side. The future looks a bit brighter for Real’s young guns, even if there are no guarantees at the Bernabeu.
Five of Madrid’s most promising youth players
Gonzalo Garcia
Commonly known as ‘Gonzalo’, the 19-year-old forward joined Madrid’s youth ranks in 2014 and has played for Spain at youth level. Last season, he enjoyed a fine campaign under under-19s manager Alvaro Arbeloa, a former Madrid right-back. Gonzalo is a versatile player who can operate anywhere along the front line.
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Marvel
This former Spain Under-19 international is a centre-back who could benefit from Militao’s anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. The 20-year-old has also played left-back when necessary under Raul and he has extended his contract until 2026, with a better salary and a higher release clause.
Vinicius Tobias
Tobias, 19, joined Madrid on loan from Shakhtar Donetsk last season. Despite some rumours to the contrary and an underwhelming finish to the season, the club always expected to welcome him back for this season and sealed another loan with an option to buy this summer. Within Madrid’s head offices, they have been very satisfied with the Brazilian’s start to this campaign.
Mario Martin
A 19-year-old holding midfielder who joined in 2015 from Odelot Toletum, a football school with links to Madrid. He is a linchpin for Castilla — although he has missed the start of the season after undergoing surgery on a shoulder injury — and was part of Real’s first-team squad for the Club World Cup and the Champions League last-16 first leg at Anfield last season. The club renewed his contract until 2026 last year and he is well-liked by Ancelotti.
Nico Paz
Paz, a 19-year-old Argentina youth international, is seen as one of the crown jewels of the academy. Some at Castilla have compared him to Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne because of his finishing from range and his power when striking the ball. He has already earned praise from Toni Kroos, who called him “exceptional”.
(Top photo: Alberto Gardin/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
