Real Madrid agree deal to sign Levante striker Carlos Espi

Real Madrid have agreed a deal to sign Levante striker Carlos Espi.

Madrid and Levante announced on Thursday that an agreement had been reached for Espi to move to the Bernabeu on a five-year contract through to 2031.

The 21-year-old striker had a €25million release clause in his Levante contract.

The Athletic reported on June 24 that new Madrid head coach Jose Mourinho wanted to sign a striker this summer, but the club required a first-team departure before making the addition to the squad.  On Thursday, The Athletic reported that Fulham were set to sign 22-year-old Madrid forward Gonzalo Garcia. 

Madrid have signed Ibrahima Konate, Denzel Dumfries, Bernardo Silva and Marc Cucurella during this transfer window. The Spanish club are also working on deals to secure RB Leipzig’s Yan Diomande and Manchester City’s Rodri.

Espi, who has represented Spain at under-19 and under-20 levels, came through Levante’s youth academy after joining the club in 2022. He made his first-team debut in February 2024 and his La Liga debut in August 2025.

Espi scored seven goals in 38 games in La Liga 2, Spain’s second division, before scoring 11 La Liga goals in 25 games last campaign. He scored 20 goals in 66 games for Levante. 

Does Madrid’s Espi move make sense?

This is yet another swift move by Madrid in this transfer window that is being very different from previous years.

While Garcia’s transfer was being finalised, work was underway in parallel to find his replacement. Some Madrid fans have not been happy with what they interpret as essentially a swap of players, but these deals go beyond simply exchanging one player for another.

Garcia’s wanted to play more than Mourinho could guarantee him; Alvaro Arbeloa and Fulham saw it that way and convinced him. Furthermore, the club will earn around €40 million, whilst retaining preferential rights as well as 30 per cent of any future sale. Everyone happy.

Espi is also Spanish and young, but his footballing profile isn’t exactly the same as Garcia’s. The difference in height is the most obvious sign of this, and none of Mourinho’s attackers offered that advantage in aerial balls.

Espi’s €25m release clause made it possible to reach an agreement without excessive financial risk, particularly as the club had already agreed around €40m for Gonzalo.

In short, Espi is an affordable young player who perfectly fits a very specific role that is never a spare part in any squad, and one whom Mourinho had already requested; the club is once again showing that it is listening closely to its manager.