A Madrid with a future

That Real Madrid has in mind is undeniable after their Liga-Supercopa de España double in the 2019-20 season. But in the same way it is crystal clear that in the white squad, under the mantle of contrasted and experienced players (Ramos, Marcelo, Courtois, Benzema …), there is a second layer of young footballers who ensure the future of the team. That's where the Lunin, Mendy, Valverde, Militao, Odegaard, Asensio, Vinicius, Rodrygo, Reinier, Kubo, Brahim come in …

It is not rhetoric, it is reality: of the 34 footballers that Madrid has on its squad, 18 are 25 years old or younger. They are more than half, although several of them will leave the white discipline shortly to be transferred, such as Soro or Mayoral. Others, like Kubo (Villarreal) or Reinier (Dortmund), will play on loan until the moment is right for them to join the first team. But it is no less true that, in Madrid's list of priorities when it comes to looking for transfers, veterans such as Bale (31), Mariano (27) or James (29) appear above all. When in doubt, Madrid have decided to bet on promises, hoping that this talent will germinate in the Madrid environment and provide top-level footballers at a reasonable price.

Change of strategy

The president of Madrid himself, Florentino Pérez, explained it in July 2018, during Lunin's presentation: “We are laying the new foundations for the present and the future, incorporating that young talent that will mark football in the coming years.” An important change of course for the white leader, who in his early days preferred to sign contrasted talent at whatever price to obtain immediate return.

In his first summer as president of Madrid, that of 2000, incorporated seven players with an average age of 26 years: Figo (28), Flavio Conçeiçao (26), Makelele (27), Munitis (25), César (29), Solari (23) and Celades (24) . Almost a decade later, in 2009, on his return to the presidency, the average was already falling: he signed Cristiano (24), Kaká (27), Benzema (21), Xabi Alonso (27), Albiol (23), Granero (22) and Arbeloa (26); the mean was 24.3 years. And last summer, with the need to rebuild the team after a disastrous season, Madrid carried out nine operations with an average age of 21.6 years: Hazard (28), Jovic (21), Militao (21), Mendy (24), Rodrygo (18), Reinier (18), Kubo (18) , Soro (20) and Areola (26).

The economic power of the Premier and the new club-states (City and PSG, in the lead) have changed the pattern: signing young and at low cost, a task in which Juni Calafat, the club's head of international football, has taken on a central role.