Real Madrid continue to bet on teenage defender after deadline day exit links | OneFootball

After being a matter of complete silence throughout the summer transfer window, the future of Joan Martinez burst onto the scene on deadline day as it came to light that the player could leave the club.

Out of the blue, word broke out that Valencia were making a sudden push to incorporate the talented Real Madrid defender into their team in what was a rather shocking development.

The sudden news threw the player’s future and the club’s faith in him into doubt, for many believed it could not be a coincidence that Martinez’s name suddenly grew linked to a transfer on deadline day.

Real Madrid are calm about the player

Now, as confirmed by Alvaro Esteban in a recent update, Real Madrid remain completely unperturbed by the sudden noise regarding Martinez’s future.

Valencia wanted to sign Joan Martinez on deadline day. (Photo by Christian Bruna/Getty Images)

Despite all the noise around his potential move to Valencia on deadline day, sources close to the player confirm that Real Madrid continue to bet on him 100%.

He may not be an active part of Jose Mourinho’s plans, but the club are well aware of his talent and see him as a top candidate to be a long-term regular in the first-team.

Coming back from injury

It is no secret that Martinez is one of the most talented defenders to rise through the ranks of Real Madrid’s academy in recent years, and he has even been part of the first-team dynamics when Carlo Ancelotti was still at the club.

However, he suffered an untimely ACL injury in 2024, breaking his dreams of becoming a regular in the first-team squad just when he seemed set to achieve that milestone.

Real Madrid have total faith in Martinez’s abilities. (Photo by David Balogh/Getty Images)

Since then, it has been a long and difficult route back to the field for Martinez, but he is now back fit and ready to make a case for himself once again.

Mourinho even handed him chances in pre-season and provided indications of how highly he rates the centre-back.

Given that Real Madrid’s centre-back depth has been a reason for worry in recent years, there could well come a point in the season when the first team will need Martinez to step in.

He will logically remain a part of the subsidiary side, but there is good reason to believe that this could be his breakout campaign.