Last Sunday marked exactly four years since Real Madrid last presented a big galactico signing — the arrival of James Rodriguez for €80 million after the 2014 World Cup — with the La Liga giants’ transfer policy having since changed dramatically.
After long-term targets Neymar and Kylian Mbappe recently committed their futures to Paris Saint-Germain, friendly local media reports have been talking again about Madrid’s intelligent focus on snapping up the best international young talent given the craziness at the top level of the market.
Blancos president Florentino Perez acknowledged this himself when talking last week of adding “magnificent players” to his squad, only to clarify that this summer’s new young stars, Alvaro Odriozola and Vinicius Junior, fit in that category.
So the timing is good to look at an XI of young talent signed over the last four years, for over €200m in transfer fees alone, and assess how this new strategy is succeeding.
GK Andriy Lunin: €8.5m, June 2018 (age 19)
Few in Spain had heard much about Andriy Lunin before Madrid agreed to pay Zorya Luhansk a reported initial fee of €8.5m to sign him last month. The teenage goalkeeper already has two senior caps for Ukraine but is not expected to immediately challenge Keylor Navas (or perhaps Thibaut Courtois) for a starting spot at the Bernabeu any time soon.
On Monday at the Bernabeu, Lunin gave nothing away about his short-term plans, as the futures of current back-up goalkeepers Kiko Casilla and Luca Zidane also need to be decided.
DF Alvaro Odriozola: €40m, July 2018 (age 22)
During his presentation at the Bernabeu last week, former Real Sociedad right-back Alvaro Odriozola compared joining Madrid to a visit to Disneyland. That was not hugely surprising given 18 months ago, Odriozola had yet to make his senior debut for La Real.
Nine assists in his first 50 La Liga games since saw Odriozola linked with manyof Europe’s top clubs and promoted to Spain’s squad for this summer’s World Cup; his trip ended up being an educational one as he saw no playing time in Russia, with Dani Carvajal and Nacho Fernandez preferred at right-back.
The coming season may bring a similar problem for the 22-year-old, although having his former Spain manager Julen Lopetegui as his new club boss should be a positive development.
DF Jesus Vallejo: €5m, July 2015 (age 21)
Long tipped as a future star in Spain’s underage international ranks, centre-back Vallejo was snapped from hometown club Real Zaragoza at the age of 18 with his pace, strength and reading of the game having already been apparent. An impressive 2015-16 season on loan at Eintracht Frankfurt further confirmed his potential, and although injury curtailed his progression last season, he did get Champions League experience against Juventus. Lopetegui also brought him in for Spain’s pre-World Cup training camp this summer.
Assuming he stays clear of muscle issues from now on, Vallejo should be the first-choice back-up to Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane next season.
DF Theo Hernandez: €24m, July 2017 (age 20)
A superb series of swashbuckling performances on loan at Alaves in 2016-17, as well as a Copa del Rey final goal against Barcelona, persuaded the Bernabeu hierarchy to annoy neighbours Atletico Madrid and trigger Theo’s release clause last summer. But 12 months later the situation looks very different, with Theo having rarely impressed when given a chance at Madrid while his brother Lucas took over the left-back spot at Atletico and just won the World Cup with France.
Theo’s career has so stalled that Madrid are already reportedly looking to offload him, either on loan or in a sale with buy-back clause, though his hefty €5m annual salary complicates that wish.
FW Vinicius Junior: €45m, in May 2017 (age 18)
Paying that much for Vinicius Jr., 16 years old at the time, early last summer seemed at the time like a bid to ensure no repeat of the slackness that saw Barcelona snatch Neymar from Madrid’s hands back in 2013.
Ten goals in his first 49 games across all competitions for Flamengo over the last 12 months suggest Vinicius is developing fast. And the Bernabeu hierarchy rejected Brazilian hopes he could remain for another six months in Rio, bringing the kid to Europe as soon as allowed by FIFA.
Still just 18, Vinicius Jr. looked quite mature last Friday as he sat confidently alongside former galactico Ronaldo Nazario at the Bernabeu, and spoke impressively of his hopes of proving himself soon in Madrid’s senior side. He has not yet been given a senior squad number, though, so it remains to be seen how his next steps will be managed.
FW Rodrygo: €54m, June 2018 (age 17)
Madrid doubled down even further on their emerging talent policy this summer by spending even more on another Brazilian starlet, this time seeing off reported competition from Barcelona, PSG and Liverpool to get Santos forward Rodrygo.
That deal will not go through until next summer and so Rodrygo will have another year at least at home. The kid showed his character last week by taking on Neymar’s global critics, and he clearly expects to be a huge star in his own right before too long.