The Levante striker, Carlos Espí arrives at the Bernabéu following the departure of the youth player and will be the number ‘9’ that Mourinho had requested.
José Mourinho already has two first-team players injured in preseason: Asensio will miss six weeks and Thiago Pitarch around eight.
Real Madrid have officially announced the signing of Carlos Espí , who has been chosen to replace Gonzalo García in the team’s attack for next season after the academy graduate accepted Fulham’s offer of €40 million for 70% of his playing rights. José Mourinho had requested a number nine, and the Levante striker fit the profile the manager was looking for. The deal with Levante was finalized for €25 million, the release clause stipulated in the player’s contract, which includes a five-year deal with Real Madrid, running until 2031.
Espí arrived at Levante in 2022, during his time as a youth player, making his first-team debut in February 2024. In the 2024/2025 season, he became one of the key players in the Valencian side’s promotion to La Liga, participating in 36 matches and scoring six goals. He improved on those figures last season, scoring 13 goals in 27 appearances across La Liga and the Copa del Rey, becoming one of the standout performers for a Levante side that narrowly avoided relegation back to the second division. Standing at 1.94 meters tall, the striker is one of the most promising young talents in Spanish football, having represented Spain at the U-19 and U-20 levels.
The lightning-fast signing of Espí, first reported by Ramón Álvarez de Mon, was finalized in a matter of hours on Thursday after the player, who was headed to the Premier League, put everything on hold and prioritized Real Madrid’s offer . Hull City had a deal in the works with the striker’s representatives, as well as with his own, and Brighton were also waiting in the wings to secure his services, but the situation changed completely and the player ended up at the Santiago Bernabéu. Villarreal also had Espí on their shortlist and tried to convince him with the Champions League, as the Yellow Submarine will be playing in the next edition of Europe’s premier club competition.
Endrick loses steam
With Espí’s arrival, the one who loses out is Endrick, who was Kylian Mbappé’s backup striker . However, according to Defensa Central, the transfer of the youngster from Tabernes de Valldigna is separate from that of the Brazilian, who can also play as a winger. Besides Endrick and Mbappé, Mourinho has Vinicius Junior, Brahim Díaz, Rodrygo Goes, and Franco Mastantuono in attack. The number 11 is currently injured and will not return, ‘in principle,’ until 2027, while the Argentine could leave on loan.
Official statement from Real Madrid
Real Madrid CF and Levante UD have agreed to the transfer of player Carlos Espí, who will be linked to our club for the next five seasons, until June 30, 2031.
At 21 years old, Carlos Espí has played three seasons at Levante, in which he has played 66 games and scored 20 goals.
Last season, he was named the league’s best under-23 player.
Carlos Espí is a Spanish under-19 and under-20 international.
