Real Madrid’s beat reporters have analyzed the futures of the club’s veteran players, with Dani Carvajal standing out as a special case hailed by insiders as a "franchise icon".
Carvajal joined Real Madrid’s youth academy at the age of 10 and has been with the club for 22 years, except for a single season on loan at Bayer Leverkusen in 2012-13 before being re-signed by Los Blancos.
Since then, he has established himself as one of the team’s core players, lifting the Champions League trophy six times – an achievement only five players in Real Madrid’s history can match. However, his game time has been severely limited since he suffered a right knee anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear in October 2024.
The 32-year-old has endured two serious injuries this season, featuring in just eight matches so far, yet he has been named in Real Madrid’s squad for the Spanish Super Cup held in Saudi Arabia this week.
"What makes him so important is everything he has been through and how he knows how to handle difficult situations. That’s who Dani Carvajal is," manager Xabi Alonso said at a press conference last week.
“He has a huge influence on the team. Of course, we wish he could have played in the games he missed through injury. We have to help him get back to his best form.”
Sources close to the Spain international, who has earned 52 caps for his country, revealed that Carvajal is in no hurry to make a call on his future.
During the Christmas break, Carvajal traveled to Qatar with his family to visit his brother-in-law, former Real Madrid striker Joselu, who now plays for Qatari side Al Gharafa. The trip sparked speculation about a potential move to the Middle East.
Carvajal was presented with an Al Gharafa jersey and posed for photos with it.
Confidants of the right-back admitted that he is still considering potential destinations in Qatar, Saudi Arabia or the United States, as he first mentioned in an interview in 2024. But they stressed that he is eager to stay at Real Madrid, and the club is also in no rush to enter into any negotiations.
Meanwhile, club sources stated that given Carvajal’s unique status, any decision will be made by mutual agreement, and they do not necessarily have to wait until the end of the season.
