Madrid brings Carreras back from Benfica
Real Madrid has completed a €50 million ($89.1 million) deal to sign left-back Alvaro Carreras from Benfica, five years after he left Los Blancos on a free transfer.
Carreras spent three years in Madrid's youth system before departing at the end of his contract in 2020, moving to Manchester United.
The Spaniard never made a senior appearance for the Red Devils and was loaned out to Preston North End, Granada and Benfica, eventually joining the Portuguese giant on a permanent deal last year.
He made 32 Primeira Liga appearances – 30 of them starts – as Bruno Lage's team missed out on the title in 2024-2025, finishing two points behind champion Sporting CP.
Carreras contributed to 11 clean sheets in the Portuguese top flight last term, with only four defenders participating in more, while he also attempted the fourth-most dribbles of any defender (69), completing 34 of those.
Carreras also helped the Lisbon giant top its group at the FIFA Club World Cup ahead of Bayern Munich, although it was eliminated in the Round of 16 by eventual champion Chelsea.
Madrid confirmed the return of the 22-year-old on a six-year-contract, with reports suggesting United will receive €7.6 million ($13.6 million) of the fee paid by Madrid because of a sell-on clause.
Carreras will be officially presented as a Madrid player at a press conference alongside club president Florentino Perez.
He is Madrid's fourth signing of the transfer window, after the arrivals of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Dean Huijsen and teenage winger Franco Mastantuono from River Plate.
