The summer of 2025 is proving to be strategic for Real Madrid. With a transfer policy already quite active, the club needed to start balancing its squad and also its finances. The solution, as in so many other seasons, has come from within: Castilla's youth players.
Under Xabi Alonso's leadership, some promising young players didn't have a place in the first team. The competition is fierce and, although many show promise, not all of them can stay.
That's why Florentino Pérez has given the green light to a series of transfers that, together, have brought in €21.5 million. That's not bad at all for players without experience at the top level.
Little-known names — very real income
Jacobo Ramón, Víctor Muñoz, Rafael Obrador, Youssef, Álvaro Rodríguez, and Chema Andrés have been the protagonists of this mini-exodus. These are names that might not be well known outside Valdebebas, but they've attracted the interest of European clubs. These are teams looking for young talent and betting on potential.
Each sale has been carefully negotiated; nothing has been left to chance. It's not just about getting quick income, but about keeping the possibility of bringing the players back in the future. That's where the real key to this strategy comes in: buy-back clauses and the retention of 50% of the rights.
Florentino plays both sides
The operation is doubly profitable. On one hand, the squad is lightened, and players who, if they stay without minutes, won't develop, are given an exit.
On the other hand, immediate money is obtained and long-term control is kept. It's a formula the club has already used in the past with good results.
This model allows Real Madrid to have a network of "invisible loan" footballers, who mature away from Bernabéu but with the possibility of returning. If one stands out elsewhere, Madrid can bring him back cheaply or profit from his sale, without missing out on income every summer.
Quiet but brilliant management
In times of top-tier signings and astronomical figures, the quiet management of Real Madrid's youth academy almost goes unnoticed. The income from youth player sales this summer not only eases the finances, but also proves that La Fábrica remains an inexhaustible source of talent and profitability.
Florentino and his team aren't just thinking about winning today. They're thinking about keeping a long-term project. While Juni Calafat and his scouts keep a close watch, the club always keeps the door open for these young players to return.