When Real Madrid’s closed their summer transfer window, most of the headlines revolved around Trent Alexander-Arnold’s blockbuster move and the club’s major investment in Franco Mastantuono.
Yet, quietly and without the same fanfare, another signing slipped under the radar, namely, Alvaro Carreras.
The former Benfica full-back’s arrival barely made waves compared to the star power around him. It was not a lack of excitement, but simply a case of overshadowing.
Expectations were modest, as few imagined that Carreras, signed for €50 million, would play a crucial role in Xabi Alonso’s evolving Real Madrid side.
Turning the tide
Fast forward a few months, and Carreras has transformed that quiet arrival into a powerful statement.
The 22-year-old Spaniard has forced his way into the conversation as one of Madrid’s most consistent and effective players this season.
Alvaro Carreras, Real Madrid player
Alvaro Carreras has made the left-back spot his own. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)
Despite knowing he would face competition from Fran Garcia, who impressed at the FIFA Club World Cup, and Ferland Mendy, returning from injury, Carreras took the challenge head-on and is now reaping the rewards.
Performance in numbers
To put things in perspective, his performance against Valencia perfectly sums up his impact.
According to AS, Carreras led the team in recoveries (12), tackles won (3), total passes completed (83), and final-third passes (38).
What makes the Spaniard stand out is not just this one performance. When he is not bombing down the flank, he tucks inside to aid in midfield creativity.
Against Valencia, he was involved in 122 plays, which is a whopping 16 more than Jude Bellingham, the next most active player.
That influence extends across the season as Carreras leads all Madrid players in touches (1,184), passes (883), and ball movements (791). In La Liga, only Pedri surpasses him in those metrics.
So far this season, Carreras has only missed one game, the UCL match against Kairat Almaty and has never been substituted, which is a reason enough to establish that he has become indispensable to Xabi Alonso’s tactical setup.