Real Madrid’s offseason preparations are underway. The number of players with national passports is no longer a requirement to be part of the list of 25, but it is clear that everything indicates that the number of nationals of the first team may continue to decrease, something that MARCA has already evaluated. In reality, only Carvajal and almost 99% of Lucas Vázquez seem to be fixed.
It is much less certain that the rest will persist: Mariano has decided to end his contract and leave, and what will happen next is uncertain. Ceballos also ends the contract and Atletico has knocked on his door for the second time, Asensio is in the same situation and has not accepted the club’s first proposal to go down, and Odriozola has no minutes and is also on the exit ramp. Nacho is the only One Club Man in Madrid, but he also ends his contract and studies offers. Vallejo is not in Ancelotti’s plans and could leave in search of playing time.
For its part, UEFA does not stipulate a minimum percentage of local players in the starting eleven of 25. However, there is a list of eight players, the so-called locally trained player, who must meet particular training conditions in the country’s Federation. , to protect the seal of the country or at least of the players trained in their clubs.
At least four of the players on that list of eight must be between the ages of 15 and 21 and have spent at least three seasons at the club or 36 months at the equivalent club, either continuously or not. Seven members of the current first-team squad (Nacho, Carvajal, Lucas, Fede, Vinicius, Rodrygo, and Mariano) meet this criterion, so it seems that even with departures the quota would be covered.
However, it also makes sense that the youngest of this group, such as Vini, Valverde, and Rodrygo, ensure the four mandatory places of the club formed with really important players for the coach on duty.
It Is More Rational to Invest in Youth
The remaining four players in this group must belong to the association-coached category, which includes anyone who has spent at least three full seasons or 36 months in federation-affiliated teams of the country to which the relevant club belongs between the ages of 15 and 21.
In the case of Spanish teams, it would be the RFEF. At the moment there are not enough first-team players to complete the list of eight required if Vallejo, Odriozola, Asensio, and Ceballos left.
Sergio Arribas, currently at Castilla de Ral, is a trained club player who meets these criteria, as does Girona’s Miguel Gutierrez, although there are no plans to catch him again at this time. After three full seasons within the age limit in the quarry, Fran Garcia, currently at Rayo, will return to reinforce the left side.
Given that these players can potentially join one of these two groups of eight in the medium to long term, Madrid’s investment in youth talent makes more sense.
Free Route to Bellingham
After obtaining the nationalizations of Militao and Rodrygo and before that of Vinicius, Madrid has three of the non-EU places available. Bellingham would occupy one of the seats since from Betis the British players have ceased to have passports of the European Union. The player, who now has a contract with Dortmund, must decide soon whether to return to the Premier League with City or Liverpool.
