Dani Carvajal set for farewell as Real Madrid accepts summer exit

Abdullateef Fowewe

Real Madrid have quietly accepted that their long-serving captain Dani Carvajal will depart the club at the end of the 2025/26 season when his contract expires, with insiders now treating the move as inevitable.

Reports from MARCA reveal that renewal discussions at Valdebebas have stalled amid concerns over the 34-year-old right-back’s age, his injury-plagued recent years, and a sharp drop in playing time since returning from an ACL tear in October 2024.

Carvajal has been an unused substitute in Real Madrid’s last four La Liga outings, including Saturday’s victory against Valencia, sparking visible frustration from the veteran defender under manager Álvaro Arbeloa.

A Real Madrid academy product who has worn the club’s colours for 23 years, Carvajal boasts over 400 first-team appearances, six La Liga titles, and five Champions League triumphs.

His impending exit signals the close of a storied chapter for one of the club’s true institutions.

Club sources indicate Real Madrid are already scouting right-back successors as part of a wider squad overhaul, with Carvajal’s deal running until June 30, 2026.