Real Madrid confirm Carlos Espi signing from Levante

Real Madrid have confirmed the signing of striker Carlos Espi from Levante, adding another arrival to an already busy summer under new head coach Jose Mourinho.

The Spanish club announced the deal on Thursday evening, with reports in Spain indicating Madrid activated the 25 million euro release clause in Espi’s contract. The forward has signed with Real until June 2031.

Another attacking addition for Madrid

Espi’s arrival comes as a surprise in timing, with attention having largely been focused on a possible move for Yan Diomande from RB Leipzig. Instead, Madrid moved to complete a different attacking deal and secured a player who had attracted significant interest elsewhere.

According to the source material, Espi joined Levante in the summer of 2022 and emerged as one of the club’s standout performers last season. He scored 13 goals in 27 matches across all competitions, including 11 in the Spanish league.

Spanish media reports cited in the source say the move was made on Mourinho’s recommendation, underlining the new coach’s influence on Madrid’s transfer strategy.

Competition for Espi was strong

Espi had been linked with a number of clubs before Madrid stepped in. The source names Aston Villa, Brighton, Ipswich Town, Everton, Nottingham Forest, Crystal Palace, Lazio and Bologna among the sides interested in the striker.

Spanish newspaper AS, as referenced in the source, noted that Levante had been planning a sale because of financial problems. Marca added that Levante had an agreement in place with Brighton, only for Madrid’s intervention to change the direction of the transfer in a matter of hours.

That context makes the move notable not only for the fee involved, but also for the speed with which Madrid completed it.

Part of a wider summer rebuild

Madrid have been one of the most active clubs of the window. Since Mourinho’s appointment, the club have already brought in Bernardo Silva from Manchester City, Ibrahima Konate from Liverpool, Denzel Dumfries from Inter Milan and Marc Cucurella from Chelsea.

The source also states that Madrid have raised more than 100 million euro through the sale of academy products, including Nico Paz, Mario Gila and Carlos Munoz. That income has helped fund an aggressive recruitment drive rather than bringing it to a halt.

Espi’s signing also appears to be a quick response to the situation involving Gonzalo Garcia, who is set to join Fulham. The source says Fulham will pay 42 million euro, while Madrid will retain 30 per cent of any future transfer fee and a matching right on a future offer for the player. Fulham are managed by Alvaro Arbeloa, who had given Garcia opportunities at Madrid last season.

What comes next

Madrid’s business may not be finished. The source says there is still no agreement with RB Leipzig over Diomande, while the club are also trying to sign Rodri from Manchester City.

There could also be departures before the window closes, with Endrick, Franco Mastantuono and Raul Asencio named in the source as players who could leave.

For now, though, Madrid have added another forward to Mourinho’s evolving squad. In Espi, they have moved decisively for a young striker who was in demand and who now arrives with a long contract and clear expectation around his development.