Real Madrid defensive prodigy says goodbye ahead of Serie A transfer | OneFootball

According to journalist Matteo Moretto, Real Madrid youth defender Victor Valdepenas is on the verge of completing a permanent move to Italian Serie A club Fiorentina.

The 19-year-old centre-back has officially said goodbye to his coaches and teammates at the club and is preparing to travel to Florence to finalise the transfer.

The agreement between the two clubs is fully completed, marking another departure from Madrid’s youth system this summer.

Done deal

The negotiations between Real Madrid and Fiorentina progressed quickly over the last few days, resulting in a total agreement.

Valdepenas, a highly regarded young defender who rose through the ranks at La Fabrica and made his first-team debut last season, decided that moving to Italy offered the quickest pathway to senior first-team football.

Victor Valdepenas on his way to Fiorentina. (Picture credit: Real Madrid official website)

The young defender, who can play at centre-back and left-back, has already said his goodbyes at the Valdebebas training ground.

He is expected to land in Italy the coming days to undergo his routine medical examinations and sign a long-term contract with the Italian side.

Real Madrid continue youth sales

The sale of Valdepenas fits directly into Real Madrid’s broader club strategy for this summer transfer window.

In recent years, the Spanish club has placed a strong focus on generating substantial transfer revenue through the sale of academy players from La Fabrica.

More revenue for Real Madrid from academy sales. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)

With the first-team squad filled with established international stars, finding regular playing time at the Bernabeu has become incredibly difficult for academy players.

By selling promising young talents like Valdepenas to top-tier European clubs, Real Madrid can balance their financial books while usually retaining future benefits.

To protect their long-term interests, Real Madrid have structured the deal with Fiorentina, worth a total of €8 million, to include a 50% sell-on clause.

This clause ensures that Real Madrid will receive a significant percentage of any future transfer fee if Fiorentina choose to sell the young defender later in his career.

It is also likely that the agreement includes a fixed buy-back option, allowing Los Blancos the right to bring the centre-back back to Spain if his development accelerates in Serie A.