Real Madrid look as if they will have one of the most impressive squads in European football again next season, with the arrival of Endrick Felipe confirmed, the arrival of Kylian Mbappe anticipated, and the arrival of Alphonso Davies planned. It means that some of their brightest youngsters will likely be on the way out.
Midfielder Mario Martin is well-liked by Carlo Ancelotti, who gave him his debut, and it is his dream to play for Los Blancos, but The Athletic say that in all likelihood he will end up either on loan or signed by another La Liga club next season. If Luka Modric and Dani Ceballos both depart this summer, and no replacement is signed, then Martin may consider staying, but he will have options in Primera, with Girona following him for several months.
One of his partners at Castilla is Manuel Angel, another central midfielder who has had even less of a look-in with the first team, barely appearing in training sessions, is set for talks with the club this summer. He will wait to see what kind of role he is offered by Los Blancos, but a move is not ruled out by any means. His current deal ends in 2025.
Meanwhile left-back Rafa Obrador has even less chance of making the Real Madrid first-team, should Davies arrive in the summer from Bayern Munich. With Ferland Mendy backed by Ancelotti, and Fran Garcia signed last summer, Obrador is unlikely to get a chance. He stands out for his ability to get forward, and with a developed physique, the 20-year-old is seen as a potential La Liga player next season. Obrador is open to a new contract, a loan move, or a sale with a buyback option.
The final case is somewhat different. Promising attacker Paulo Iago is just 16 years of age, and has plenty of time to make his jump to the elite level, but is not happy with the club. He feels there is no plan for him to grow and develop in place, although Jorge Mendes’ agency are keen to resolve things with Real Madrid before considering an exit. He has recently been playing for Real Madrid C, two years ahead of his age group, and has a deal until 2025 too – Iago is also a regular in the Spain underage setups.
With the senior side all but complete, Real Madrid have little need to call on their academy, but have had success loaning out or selling their youngsters, with sell-on clauses included. In the medium term, Takefusa Kubo or Miguel Gutierrez could benefit Los Blancos, as Real Madrid will be due 50% of the fee. That said, Ancelotti did not turn to the options in the academy during their defensive injury crisis this season, instead using Dani Carvajal and Aurelien Tchouameni as makeshift options in central defence.
