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Real Madrid may be known for signing the best players in the world but they have developed a lot of youngsters in their academy as well. The Blancos may not have the best academy in Spain but they tend to produce star players every summer.
Real Madrid have a few former Castilla players in their squad this season and manager Carlo Ancelotti is hoping to make the most of that. With the Blancos looking to cut costs and showing a reluctance to spend big money on new players, the youngsters at the club will have an opportunity to shine.
On that note, here are the top five former Real Madrid Castilla players in the first-team this season:
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Note: Vinícius Júnior was signed to Castilla first, but he will not be included in this listicle as he spent very little time with the academy.
#5 - Mariano Díaz is a product of Real Madrid's academy
Mariano Díaz's career has been a rollercoaster. He was touted for big things at the Santiago Bernabeu during his Castilla days. He was promoted to the first team in 2016 by then-manager Zinedine Zidane, who needed more firepower in attack.
Although Diaz made just eight appearances for the first team in the 2016-17 season, he ended up with a UEFA Champions League medal as he was a part of the squad.
In 2017, Lyon came calling and Real Madrid decided to sell him off for a reported €8 million fee. However, Diaz lasted just a year in France. He returned to Real Madrid as a replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo, who had left for Juventus, and was handed the No. 7 jersey.
Since then, he has not made a real impact at the club. Mariano Díaz has played 42 games in the league since rejoining in 2018, scoring six times.
#4 - Nacho Fernández
Nacho Fernández is one player every club would want to have in their squad. The Spaniard is versatile and can play anywhere across the backline.
The defender joined Real Madrid at the age of 11 after two years with AD Complutense. He has been with Los Blancos ever since and has not been loaned out even once.
Jose Mourinho was the manager who promoted Nacho Fernández into the first team during his stint at the club. The Portuguese made the call in 2012, promoting Nacho as well as two other Castilla players – Alvaro Morata and Jesus.
Nacho penned a new deal this summer, which will keep him at Real Madrid until 2023. He will be 33 years old when his contract expires and given how well he has performed so far, it would not be surprising to see him handed another new deal. He could even end up retiring as a one-club man.
Nacho has made 241 appearances for Real Madrid in all competitions.
#3 - Lucas Vázquez
Lucas Vázquez's time at Real Madrid has been complicated. He was loaned out in 2014 to Espanyol, who had the option of signing him permanently at the end of the season.
They picked up the option and sealed the deal for around €2 million on June 3. Real Madrid, however, decided they wanted Lucas Vázquez back and activated his buy-back clause on June 30.
The Spaniard has been with the club ever since. Vazquez has made 246 appearances for Real Madrid in all competitions in a number of positions, including right-back.
The Spaniard penned a three-year deal this year, which will keep him at Madrid until 2024.
#2 - Daniel Carvajal
Daniel Carvajal is another player on this list that Real Madrid sold and then re-signed by activating his buy-back clause. The right-back was shipped out to Bayer Leverkusen in 2012 and bought back a year later for €6.5 million.
He joined Real Madrid when he was just a 10-year-old after spending a couple of years at ADCR Lemans. The Spaniard has been a reliable player for Real Madrid and has made the right-back spot his own.
He has made close to 300 appearances for Real Madrid in all competitions, winning the Champions League four times and the league title twice. He too penned a new deal this summer, keeping him at the club until 2025.
#1 - Federico Valverde - Real Madrid's next superstar?
Federico Valverde is being touted as a future replacement for Luka Modric. The Uruguayan is only 23, but he has shown he can handle the pressure of playing in the top flight.
The former Penarol player spent a year with Real Madrid Castilla before being loaned out to Deportivo La Coruna for a season. Valverde was promoted to the first team by Julen Lopetegui when he took over in 2018, and the midfielder has been a part of the first team ever since.
Valverde has already made 80 La Liga appearances for Real Madrid and has netted five times. As things stand, the sky is the limit for the talented midfielder.
