Real Madrid secure Carlos Espí from Levante until 2031

By Rohan Gupta — 30 July 2026 — 4 min read

Real Madrid’s new signing

Real Madrid has moved to address its number nine position by signing Carlos Espí from Levante. The club activated Espí’s €25 million release clause, securing the 21-year-old forward until June 2031. This acquisition follows the departure of Gonzalo García, who is reportedly moving to Fulham.

Espí, born on July 24, 2005, in Tavernes de la Valldigna, joined Levante’s academy in 2022 from UD Alzira. He made his first-team debut for Levante in February 2024 at the age of 18, featuring in a Segunda División match against Racing de Ferrol.

During Levante’s promotion campaign, Espí contributed six goals in 36 appearances. In the most recent top-flight season, he made a significant impact, scoring 11 goals in 13 starts. His performance earned him a Player of the Month award in March and the league’s Best Under-23 Player prize. Espí has also represented Spain at both U-19 and U-20 youth international levels.

Player profile and role at Real Madrid

Standing at 6ft4in, Espí is described as a physical presence and a target man, fitting the profile of a modern number nine. His statistical profile highlights his aerial ability, effectiveness in physical duels, and strong finishing instinct. While his heading and long-shot threat are notable, his passing and ball retention under pressure are areas for development, which is considered typical for a 21-year-old forward who played in a counter-attacking side last season.

At Real Madrid, Espí is expected to provide cover and contribute to the club’s long-term succession planning, particularly behind Kylian Mbappé. He will be in direct competition with Endrick for the backup striker role. While regular starts are not anticipated in his first year, his value is seen in his potential contribution over the next three or four seasons.

Espí’s playing style has been compared to a young Álvaro Morata, sharing a similar build, aerial quality, and knack for near-post finishes. He is still refining his link-up play and movement in confined spaces. There are also resemblances to the raw form of Joselu, who exceeded expectations at Madrid through movement and finishing. Espí is noted to have more physical potential than Joselu did at the same stage of his career, along with more time for development.

Transfer context and future plans

Before his move to Real Madrid, Espí had attracted interest from several English clubs, including Everton, Leeds United, and Aston Villa, with reports suggesting a potential move to the Premier League. Real Madrid’s decisive action to secure him ahead of these clubs represents a notable subplot in the transfer market.

Financially, the transfer is nearly self-funding, as the sale of Gonzalo García to Fulham for approximately €40 million comfortably covers Espí’s €25 million release clause, resulting in a surplus. This aligns with Real Madrid’s recent strategy of acquiring proven young La Liga scorers.

Espí has previously played at the Bernabéu as an opponent, making a seven-minute appearance for Levante in a league match on January 17. He came on as a substitute for Kareem Tunde in the 83rd minute of a 2-0 defeat, a match where Kylian Mbappé scored a penalty and Raúl Asencio also found the net.

His integration into the Real Madrid squad may be smoothed by existing connections within the Spain youth setup. Espí has progressed through the U-19 and U-20 teams alongside players such as Thiago Pitarch, Jesús Fortea, Fran González, and Diego Aguado, some of whom are already part of Real Madrid’s youth system or first-team fringes.

Levante’s coach, Luis Castro, who arrived in December and oversaw a significant turnaround for the club, credited Espí as central to their success. Under Castro, Espí became the team’s top scorer with 11 league goals, despite never having started a league match before February. Castro maintained faith in Espí over more experienced options like Etta Eyong once his scoring streak began.

Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho has outlined his summer transfer priorities, which include an extra centre-back and a midfielder. While a specialist striker is not currently the top priority, Mourinho has indicated that adding a player in the number nine role, similar to Joselu, remains an option for a “plan B” during the season. This plan involves a new striker fulfilling the role Joselu played in the 2023-2024 season, where he scored 18 goals and provided three assists, mostly from the bench. Joselu’s notable performance included scoring two goals in nine minutes during the Champions League semi-final against Bayern Munich.

The acquisition of a backup striker would not conflict with Mourinho’s plans for Endrick, who is also expected to feature next season and can play through the middle or on the right. For now, Mourinho’s primary targets remain a centre-back and a versatile midfielder, with a specialist striker considered an additional option for the demands of a long season.

Source: managingmadrid.com