Real Madrid are on the verge of completing the signing of Álvaro Carreras from Benfica in what could be one of the most strategic defensive acquisitions of the summer. According to reports from Nicolo Schira and Fabrizio Romano, the 22-year-old Spanish left-back has already agreed personal terms with Los Blancos, with only final negotiations with Benfica standing in the way of the deal’s completion. Carreras is expected to sign a contract lasting until 2030, with an option to extend to 2031.
Carreras has been in sensational form this season, registering 47 appearances and scoring 9 goals in all competitions for Benfica. His powerful overlapping runs, creative final-third delivery, and defensive intelligence have placed him among Europe’s most sought-after young defenders. Premier League interest was present, but Carreras has reportedly turned down every other offer, declaring Real Madrid as his only desired destination.
The transfer, however, is not without complexity. Benfica’s €60 million valuation is higher than what Real Madrid are willing to pay. A clever workaround was proposed—Manchester United, who sold Carreras to Benfica in 2022, hold an €18 million buy-back clause. One option considered was for United to exercise this clause and immediately transfer Carreras to Madrid for a reduced €35 million fee. But this move risks violating FIFA’s “bridge transfer” regulations, which prohibit multiple transfers of the same player within a 16-week period, unless the player features for the intervening club.
Madrid’s intent to close the deal aligns with Xabi Alonso’s vision to rejuvenate the backline. With Ferland Mendy’s future in doubt, Carreras would bring youth, energy, and technical flair to the left flank for years to come.
A return to the Spanish capital would also be poetic for Carreras, who began his career at Real Madrid’s youth academy before moving to Manchester United in 2020. Now, after forging his name in Portugal, he is poised to come full circle at the Bernabéu under a new generation of leadership.
If Madrid finalize the signing after Benfica’s Taça de Portugal final, they will have beaten the market early—locking in a long-term left-back solution before the summer even trul
y begins.
