Real Madrid has “opened talks” over a new contract that would keep teenage defender Jesús Fortea at the club beyond his current terms that expire in 2026.
Fortea was denied a fast track path into the first-team in 2024–25, to the surprise of plenty, when senior right-back Dani Carvajal was sidelined for the whole season in October. The only cover was veteran converted winger Lucas Vazquez, who wasn’t always available himself. Federico Valverde also stepped into the breach, but that meant pulling the influential Uruguayan out of the midfield.
The teenager didn’t even progress to Real Madrid Castilla under the watch of Los Blancos legend Raúl, putting uncertainty on his future at the club. But the situation has changed.
The Athletic explains that Álvaro Arbeloa’s promotion from being the club’s Under-19 coach to Castilla coach is a “key” factor in new contract negotiations commencing. Both Fortea and Real Madrid are now described as “keen” to reach an agreement over a renewal, with the implication being that wasn’t the case when Raúl and Carlo Ancelotti were at the club.
Now, however, Fortea is even “expected” to be named by new head coach Xabi Alonso on the roster for the imminent FIFA Club World Cup. With Carvajal still injured, he is likely to serve as the backup for Trent Alexander-Arnold, who has officially been signed from Liverpool in time to be involved.
The reason that Fortea has been considered a controversial signing for Real Madrid is that his 2022 arrival marked a break in a longstanding pact with city rivals Atlético Madrid when it came to poaching academy-level talent from each other.
The respective club presidents Florentino Pérez and Enrique Cerezo had agreed around the time when the former assumed office at the Santiago Bernabéu for the second time in 2009, that they would refrain from doing so. But Real Madrid seemingly ignored the truce to snatch Fortea.
Prior to joining Atlético in 2019, Fortea had been at local club Levante since the age of seven.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Real Madrid ‘Make Decision’ on Future of Controversial Signing.