Real Madrid have renewed the contract of veteran defender Dani Carvajal despite the player being sidelined for the rest of the season.
Carvajal, 32, left the pitch on a stretcher during Real Madrid’s 2-0 La Liga win over Villarreal on Saturday, October 5, 2024.
The club confirmed the Spaniard has been diagnosed with an ACL injury following medical tests and is expected to undergo surgery in the coming days.
“Following tests carried out on our player Dani Carvajal by the Real Madrid Medical Services, he has been diagnosed with a rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament, a rupture of the external collateral ligament and a rupture of the popliteus tendon in his right leg. He will undergo surgery in the coming days,” the club statement reads.
While the La Liga and European giants have not clarified the timeline for Dani Carvajal’s return, Spanish outlets report that the player has been ruled out for the rest of the season. He is expected to be sidelined for at least 8 to 10 months due to the injury.
Real Madrid renew Dani Carvajal’s contract despite injury blow
Before the devastating injury, Carvajal had a year remaining on his Real Madrid contract. He was expected to enter into contract talks with other clubs in January 2025 with a few months left in the deal with Los Blancos.
Now, the 32-year-old has secured his future with the club until the summer of 2026. Hours after he was stretchered off the pitch in the Villarreal match. Real Madrid confirmed the club have decided to extend the player’s contract.
“Real Madrid C. F. announces that, as planned, the club has agreed with Dani Carvajal to extend the player’s contract, which will keep him at the club until 30 June 2026,” Real Madrid club statement reads.
Real Madrid’s decision to extend Carvajal’s contract is a rare gesture by a Football Club. It is understood the club had agreed with the player to extend his deal. However, it was widely thought they would reverse their decision due to the injury to the player which will sideline him for the rest of the season but that was not the case.
As a matter of goodwill and respect for the player, the club settled to renew the deal as planned, describing him as a ‘legend of the club.’
Dani Carvajal reacts to his new contract with Real Madrid
Reacting to the new contract, Carvajal thanked the club and the president Florentino Perez insisting he still has a lot to offer.
“I only have words of gratitude towards Real Madrid and our president Florentino Perez.
“On a day like today, we announce the continuity until 2026, transmit what is the best club in the world in every way and how in the successes we share fill us with happiness, but in the hard times is when the soul really shows.
“THANK YOU REAL MADRID, there’s a lot left for Carvajal dressed in white,” he wrote in Spanish on social media.
Dani Carvajal is a homegrown Real Madrid player. He joined the club at the age of 10 in 2002. After 11 years in the club’s youth teams, he made his first-team debut in 2013 and has cemented his place as one of the best attacking right-backs in the club’s history and in Europe.
Overall, he has tallied 427 appearances for the club, scoring 14 goals, and winning several La Liga, Copa Del Rey, Spanish Super Cup, UEFA Super Cup, FIFA Club World Cup, and UEFA Champions League titles. His most notable performance was scoring in the 2024 UEFA Champions League final against Borussia Dortmund.
Real Madrid to step up move for Liverpool star due to Dani Carvajal’s injury
According to Spanish outlets, Real Madrid are planning to step up their move for Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold due to Dani Carvajal’s injury.
Arnold has just two months to begin entering into contract talks with other clubs with his Liverpool deal set to expire at the end of the season.
Sources close to the club have revealed the Reds have yet to broker a new deal with the player. Meanwhile, Real Madrid have been longtime admirers of the young defender.
Amidst Real Madrid’s interest, Arnold doused speculations on his possible exit from Anfield next summer. According to him, his past contracts with the club had been processed behind-the-scenes and his next deal will not be different.
This suggests the player may be locked in talks with Liverpool for a new contract away from the sleuthing eyes of the media. However, with just months left on his deal with no new deal in place, his future remains uncertain at the club and a move to Real Madrid is not ruled out.
