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Real Madrid ‘Close’ to Surprise Windfall for Former Player

Only one player in the past three years has earned Real Madrid more money than this expected piece of business.
Grey Whitebloom|
Miguel Gutiérrez spent more than a decade in Real Madrid’s academy.
Miguel Gutiérrez spent more than a decade in Real Madrid’s academy. | IMAGO/NurPhoto

Real Madrid stand to record their largest sale of the summer in a deal for a player who hasn’t turned out for the club in almost four years.

Miguel Gutiérrez joined Madrid’s academy in September 2011 as a 10-year-old. The progressive left back earned his senior debut under Zinédine Zidane while he was still a teenager, but failed to displace any of the first-team regulars.

After a season as a perennial substitute during the first year of Carlo Ancelotti’s second spell in the capital, Gutiérrez permanently signed for Girona in 2022. Madrid covered themselves in the event that their academy graduate would fulfil his potential, baking a 50% sell-on clause into the €4 million ($4.6 million) transfer. The fruits of that forethought are set to be reaped this summer.

Napoli are on the cusp of completing the acquisition of Gutiérrez, Fabrizio Romano reports. The Serie A champions are set to commit to a fee in excess of €18 million ($20.8 million), which thereby entitles Madrid to more than €9 million ($10.4 million).

Miguel Gutiérrez in action for Real Madrid.
Miguel Gutiérrez only made 10 senior appearances for Real Madrid. | IMAGO/Pressinphoto

That lump sum would represent the club’s biggest sale of the summer. In fact, only one player over the past three years has earned Madrid a larger fee than Gutiérrez.

For a time, it seemed likely that the Olympic gold medallist would return to Real. Given licence to roam into midfield, Gutiérrez blossomed into one of La Liga’s most exciting left backs at Girona. The 24-year-old racked up seven assists during the club’s romp to a record-breaking third-place league finish in 2023–24. Despite a steep collective decline which saw Girona drop down to 16th last term, Gutiérrez still created five league goals for his teammates.

Madrid opted to bring another academy graduate back in the form of Álvaro Carreras to compete for the left side of defense. Now Xabi Alonso has too many fullbacks at his disposal. Carreras’s arrival is expected to force Madrid to sell one of Fran García or Ferland Mendy this summer. Whether either will be more profitable than Gutiérrez remains to be seen.

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Grey Whitebloom
GREY WHITEBLOOM

Grey Whitebloom is an Associate Editor for SI FC. He has more than half a decade of experience in sports media across all its various guises, from the fast-paced demands of news articles and match reports to in-depth research required for features. Whitebloom graduated with a First Class Honours from University College London and found himself named on the Dean’s List—which, despite his initial fears, was a form of praise rather than a punishment. He specialises in the Premier League and Champions League, while also boasting an extensive track record of La Liga coverage.

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