During this transfer window, Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has put into action a strategy he first outlined back in 2017.
Real Madrid have continued their youth recruitment drive this transfer window by signing promising talents Alvaro Carreras (22), Dean Huijsen (20), and Franco Mastantuono (17). They join a squad already packed with rising stars such as Jude Bellingham (22), Arda Guler (20), and Endrick (19).
This strategy of building a squad rich in young prospects was spearheaded by club president Florentino Pérez and is now bearing fruit. According to Marca, the 2025/26 Real Madrid squad is the youngest the club has fielded this century, with an average age of just 25.07 years. The previous record was set back in the 1998/99 season, when the average age was 24.88 years.
But this evolution didn’t happen overnight or by chance.
Real Madrid's Dean Huijsen pictured in June 2025
Florentino Pérez fulfils his ‘prophecy’ at Real Madrid
Perez’s first stint as Real Madrid president ran from 2000 to 2006, a period defined by the signing of established superstars like Luis Figo, Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo, and David Beckham. However, from 2009 onwards, when his second term began, a shift towards youth development and global scouting took shape.
“It has always been about the world’s best players, Spanish talent, and the academy. Now, we’ve refined our approach and are scouting young prospects worldwide. We’re building a project to secure our future,” Perez explained.
With this new approach, Los Blancos expanded their horizons beyond traditional markets. Vinicius Junior was just 18 when he joined from Flamengo in 2018/19, the same season Brahim Diaz arrived from Manchester City at 19. Goalkeeper Andriy Lunin was nearly 20 when he transferred from Zorya Luhansk in Ukraine.
The trend continued with signings like Takefusa Kubo, Reinier, and Rodrygo—all aged 18—joining from FC Tokyo, Flamengo, and Santos respectively.
In the 2023/24 season, Arda Güler (18), formerly of Fenerbahçe, and Jude Bellingham (20), from Borussia Dortmund, arrived to bolster the squad. Endrick followed at 18, after his move from Palmeiras.
Promotion from the Castilla squad has also been key, with players like Fede Valverde (19 in 2018/19) and more recently Gonzalo García (21), who impressed at the Club World Cup, making the step up.
Since 2017, under Pérez’s youth-focused leadership, Real Madrid have claimed 20 trophies, including four Champions League titles, the Club World Cup, La Liga, the Spanish Super Cup, three UEFA Super Cups, and a Copa del Rey.
This article was originally published on Trivela.
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