According to The Athletic, Carvajal is almost synonymous with Real Madrid, but with his contract expiring soon, recurring injuries, and the team undergoing a generational shift, the future of this decorated right-back remains uncertain.
Both the club and the player are testing their patience, waiting for the right moment to make a decision.
Talking about Carvajal is almost like talking about Real Madrid’s history. Carvajal joined Real Madrid’s La Fábrica youth academy in 2002 at the age of 10. In May 2004, he laid the foundation stone for the Valdebebas training base alongside club legend Alfredo Di Stéfano. To date, he has been with Real Madrid for 23 years. If he wins his seventh Champions League title, he will become one of the players with the most Champions League titles in history. Additionally, if the 34-year-old defender wins the World Cup with Spain this summer, he will complete the grand slam of his professional honors. However, his contract with Real Madrid expires at the end of June, and his future remains undecided. Multiple sources from inside the club and close to the player, speaking anonymously to The Athletic, detailed the current situation.
Carvajal is a key member of Real Madrid’s six Champions League-winning teams—an achievement only a handful of players like Paco Gento, Luka Modric, Toni Kroos, and Nacho have matched. He has won 27 trophies with the team, including four La Liga titles and two Copa del Rey. Over 12 full seasons and 438 appearances for the first team, Carvajal has maintained consistent performances on both defense and attack. The locker room widely regards him as an excellent leader. As a captain, plus his personality, he has high prestige within the team—even right-back competitors like Alexander Arnold hold him in great respect.
Sources close to Real Madrid note that as the team continues its generational transition, the leadership qualities Carvajal represents are gradually fading. New core players like Fede Valverde are described as quiet and milder in style. With legends like Benzema, Kroos, and Modric leaving in the past three years, Carvajal’s importance has become more prominent. A phase of his career even has a special name: in 2012, Carvajal was sold to Bayer Leverkusen, and Real Madrid brought him back a year later via a buyback clause—a model later abbreviated as the "Carvajal Path."
Why is the renewal complicated?
Despite his importance, Carvajal’s renewal is not clear and visible. Sources close to the player say the main reason is his subpar physical recovery over the past two seasons. In October2024, he tore his right anterior cruciate ligament against Villarreal and underwent surgery that month; Real Madrid then extended his contract by a year to June 2026. Shortly after surgery, he said he felt great but was advised to recover gradually. He hoped to make the Club World Cup but only came off the bench for19 minutes in the 0-4 semi-final loss to Paris Saint-Germain.
This season, Carvajal finally fully recovered and returned to the regular rotation. Sources close to him said he was expected to remain a starter even after TAA joined from Liverpool, but he then suffered calf and knee injuries, unable to stay consistent—playing only 10 games for 470 minutes total.
Former manager Xabi Alonso’s coaching staff spoke highly of his physical condition and professionalism but thought he needed more time to return to peak form after the serious injury. Under new manager Álvaro Arbeloa, Carvajal has not started yet, only making brief appearances in the Copa del Rey against Albacete and Champions League against Monaco. Still, Arbeloa has emphasized his value publicly and internally.
Club’s attitude and player’s thoughts
Before the Rayo Vallecano match, Arbeloa said: "For Carvajal, my top priority now is to keep him consistent. I hope he finds rhythm in training, builds up playing time slowly, and avoids recurring injuries."
After the 2-1 win, Carvajal posted training footage on social media and wrote: "Patience is not the ability to wait, but to keep a good mindset while waiting."
Sources close to the player reveal it’s too early to discuss the future. Carvajal wants to stay at Real Madrid, is waiting for formal club communication, and believes renewal won’t be an obstacle.The club sees him as a symbol and thinks this isn’t a regular renewal—any decision will be based on mutual agreement.
Last Christmas, Carvajal visited former Real Madrid player Joselu (at Al-Gharafa in Qatar) with his family. Despite a welcome ceremony, multiple sources denied he had an agreement with Al-Gharafa.
In a 2024 interview with The Athletic before his serious injury, Carvajal first admitted the US, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia could be options if he can’t stay at Real Madrid. He also clearly stated he won’t join any club that might play against Real Madrid. With all possibilities open, the future of this modern Real Madrid icon still needs time to unfold.