Real Madrid beat Arsenal and Chelsea to sign Sergio Martinez for €3m | OneFootball

Arsenal and Chelsea were reportedly interested in signing the Racing Santander midfielder Sergio Martinez.

According to a report from TEAMtalk, Real Madrid have beaten the competition from the Premier League clubs to sign the talented young midfielder. They have agreed to pay his €3 million release clause, and the player has now joined the Real Madrid youth team.

Sergio Martinez joins Real Madrid

Sergio Martinez of Real Racing Club duels for the ball with Ayoze Perez of Villarreal FC during the LaLiga EA Sports 2026/27 match between Real Racing Club de Santander and Villarreal CF at Campos de Sport de El Sardinero on August 16, 2026 in Santander, Spain. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)

The midfielder is highly rated at the Spanish club, and Jose Mourinho named the player in the first-team squad for the clash against Real Betis at the weekend.

Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham and Manchester City were interested in signing the player as well, and they will be disappointed to have missed out on the 19-year-old. He’s one of the finest emerging talents in Europe and football right now, and he could’ve been a key player for the English clubs.

Arsenal and Chelsea are looking to build for the future, and the 19-year-old midfielder could be a long-term investment. The physically imposing midfielder can operate as a central or defensive midfielder. With the right guidance, he has the attributes to develop into a complete central midfielder.

Martinez’s Real Madrid future

Sergio Martinez of Real Racing Club celebrates after scoring his team’s second goal during the LaLiga EA Sports 2026/27 match between Real Racing Club de Santander and Villarreal CF at Campos de Sport de El Sardinero on August 16, 2026 in Santander, Spain. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)

The Spanish under-21 international will now look to establish himself as an important player for Real Madrid in the near future. He has the technical attributes to compete at a high level, and with coaching and guidance, he could develop into a starter for the Spanish club.

Meanwhile, the midfielder has signed a contract with Real Madrid until 2030, making it difficult for English clubs to secure his signature any time soon.