Real Madrid €3 million new signing can follow in the footsteps of Casemiro and Valverde | OneFootball

Real Madrid have officially completed the signing of Racing Santander midfielder Sergio Martinez, adding another highly-rated young player to their long-term plans.

The Spanish giants have paid €3 million for the teenage prospect, who made his La Liga debut this season after playing an important role in Racing’s promotion to the top flight.

As previously reported, Real Madrid’s plan is for the midfielder to join Real Madrid Castilla while also training regularly with Jose Mourinho’s first team.

That route may sound like a step away from senior football, especially since he was already playing for the Racing senior team, but history suggests otherwise. 

For several of Real Madrid’s most established players, current and former, Castilla was an important part of their development before they became first-team regulars.

Martinez now has the opportunity to follow a pathway that has produced some remarkable careers.

Martinez begins at Castilla with first-team access

Real Madrid’s decision to place Martinez with Castilla is not necessarily an indication that they doubt his ability to compete at the highest level.

Instead, it provides the 19-year-old with the opportunity to adapt to the club, experience a different level of competition and continue developing without the pressure of becoming a first-team player.

Sergio Martinez will join Real Madrid’s youth setup. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)

Training alongside established Real Madrid players should allow Martinez to understand the demands of playing for one of the world’s biggest clubs while continuing to receive consistent competitive minutes with Castilla.

On that note, he has several obvious examples around him, as Federico Valverde, Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo can all explain the value of spending time within the reserve structure.

On the other hand, former players like Casemiro and Joselu also experienced the Castilla pathway during their careers.

Valverde, Vinicius and Casemiro show what Castilla can offer

Casemiro’s journey is perhaps one of the clearest examples of how quickly circumstances can change.

The Brazilian arrived at Real Madrid at 20 on loan from Sao Paulo, initially joining Castilla for half a season in the Spanish second division. 

He made 15 appearances before Madrid exercised their purchase option and brought him into the first-team setup, where he went on to win every trophy possible in club football.

Valverde followed a different route.

The Uruguayan joined from Penarol in 2016 and played 30 matches in Segunda B before spending a season on loan at Deportivo La Coruña to gain La Liga experience.

Casemiro played 15 games with Real Madrid Castilla. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)

He has since established himself as one of Real Madrid’s key players, reaching 375 appearances for the first team.

Vinicius and Rodrygo had a slightly different introduction. Both were signed with the first team in mind but were initially registered with Castilla to help them adapt to Spanish football.

Vinicius made five appearances for the reserve side, while Rodrygo played three.

The pair have since gone on to make 378 and 297 first-team appearances respectively and have won two Champions League titles.

Martinez now has the same destination in sight

The journeys that the aforementioned players followed were different, but the common thread is obvious: Castilla.

For Martinez, there is no guarantee that his career will follow the same trajectory, as every young player develops differently, and reaching the Real Madrid first team requires far more than potential.

But the club clearly believe he has enough ability to justify the €3m investment.

His La Liga debut with Racing and his contribution to their promotion have already provided him with valuable senior experience, and now he must adapt to the expectations that come with wearing the Real Madrid badge.