A few days after being knocked out of the Club World Cup, Real Madrid has presented its next expensive signing in Alvaro Carreras. The 22-year-old is returning after five years.
Real Madrid has successfully concluded its search for a new left-back with an old acquaintance: Álvaro Carreras is moving from Benfica Lisbon to the Royal Club, returning after five years to the club that trained him for three years. It is an expensive return for the record Champions League winners: they have to pay €50 million via a release clause for a player who once left on a free transfer. Carreras has signed a long-term contract with the Madrid club until 2031.
Benfica, on the other hand, will be handsomely rewarded for giving Carreras a chance a year and a half ago. The career of the now 22-year-old U-21 international had previously stalled at Manchester United: After leaving Madrid, he impressed in the Red Devils’ youth ranks but never made it beyond trial appearances for the first team. Two loan spells at Preston North End (2022/23) and Granada CF (September to December 2023) did nothing to change that. It was only his third loan move, to Benfica in January 2024, that brought about a turnaround.
The Portuguese record champions signed Carreras on a permanent deal for €6 million after six months and landed a real coup. The 1.86-meter-tall left-footed player made 52 competitive appearances last season, the last two in the Club World Cup, which ended memorably for Benfica in the round of 16 against Chelsea (1-4 a.e.t.).
Benfica has already signed a replacement – from Real Madrid
With ManUnited deciding not to exercise its buy-back option, the way was clear for Real. In Madrid, Carreras wants to follow in the footsteps of his former idol Marcelo, but first he has to get past Fran Garcia, who was explicitly praised by coach Xabi Alonso at the Club World Cup.
Meanwhile, Benfica is setting out to mold the next Spanish talent at left back into a transfer target coveted across Europe: 21-year-old Rafael Obrador recently signed until 2030 and is coming from Real Madrid, which, according to media reports, is receiving five million euros this time around.
