Dani Carvajal's Farewell: Who Will Replace Him at Real Madrid?
Dani Carvajal’s long goodbye at Real Madrid is almost over. On Saturday, against Athletic Club in La Liga, the captain is expected to walk out in the white shirt for the last time, closing a chapter defined by trophies, scars, and a relentless competitive edge.
His exit is more than an emotional farewell. It rips out a piece of the dressing room’s spine. Carvajal has been a reference point: a standard-setter in training, a voice in the tunnel, a full-back who understood the demands of the Bernabéu better than most.
And it leaves a very real football problem on the pitch.
Life after Carvajal
Real Madrid already have a new reference at right-back. Trent Alexander-Arnold is set to remain the first-choice option, the creative outlet on that flank and a cornerstone of the next cycle.
Behind him, though, the picture is murkier.
High-profile names have been discussed. Pedro Porro at Tottenham and Diogo Dalot at Manchester United both fit the modern full-back mould and are well-regarded inside the club. But the numbers, the negotiations, or the context around those deals make them highly unlikely. Madrid, for now, are not planning to go down that road.
So the gaze turns inwards, to Valdebebas. To La Fábrica. To two very different right-backs who have grown up with the badge and now stand at the edge of the first team: Jesús Fortea and David Jiménez.
Jesús Fortea – the daring heir
Fortea’s story already carries a hint of rebellion.
To sign him, Real Madrid tore up the long-standing non-aggression pact with Atlético Madrid and pulled him out of their academy. He arrived at Valdebebas at 15 and was immediately branded, perhaps unfairly early, as the “natural heir” to Carvajal.
Now 19, 1.75m tall, he plays the position on the front foot. He is quick, sharp on the ball, and attacks like a winger who has been moved back a line. His profile screams modern full-back: overlap, underlap, break lines, join the final third.
But the path has not been smooth.
Instead of stepping straight into Castilla, Fortea had to linger with Real Madrid C longer than expected. The promotion came late, and when it did, he struggled at first to nail down the role that had been earmarked for him. The hype met reality, and reality pushed back.
He responded the right way. By working. By fighting his way into the side and becoming a key piece in the Juvenil A team that lifted the UEFA Youth League. On those European youth nights, his attacking instincts stood out: the timing of his runs, the confidence to take on his man, the willingness to commit defenders.
The other side of his game still needs polishing. Defensively, he is a project rather than a finished article. Positioning, duels, the discipline of a back line under pressure — those are areas the coaches at Valdebebas continue to drill into him.
The club, though, clearly believe in the long-term picture. Fortea is tied down until 2029. That is not a casual contract. It is a statement that Real Madrid see him as a serious bet for the future.
David Jiménez – the quiet constant
On the opposite end of the spectrum stands David Jiménez.
If Fortea is the eye-catching prodigy, Jiménez is the player you only truly appreciate after watching him week after week. The “silent leader,” as he is described around Valdebebas. A complete team player, the type who binds a side together without demanding the spotlight.
Jiménez joined La Fábrica back in 2013 from Móstoles URJC, a local kid who grew up idolising Álvaro Arbeloa — now, fittingly, a key figure in the club’s youth setup. Year by year he climbed the ladder, absorbing the demands of each age group until he finally wore the captain’s armband for Castilla.
That armband says plenty. So does the way people inside the club talk about him: his professionalism, his attitude, his reliability.
On December 17, he got the moment every academy player dreams of: a first-team debut. It came in the Copa del Rey against Talavera, with Xabi Alonso in charge. Not just a ceremonial cameo, either. Since then, he has added three more appearances, including a start against Valencia.
Nothing about his game screams highlight reel. He is described as solid, rarely spectacular, almost Nacho Fernández-like in his profile. Few mistakes, few headlines. He defends his zone, keeps his passing clean, and makes the right choices more often than not.
For a coaching staff planning a long season of rotations, injuries, and tactical tweaks, that kind of predictability has enormous value.
Two paths, one decision
So this is where Real Madrid stand as Carvajal prepares his farewell.
On one side, Fortea: younger, more explosive, a right-back who could eventually redefine the position for the club if his defensive game catches up with his attacking talent.
On the other, Jiménez: older, already tested in the first team, a steady presence who resembles the club’s tradition of unsung, dependable defenders.
Promoting one of them would send a clear message about the direction of the position behind Alexander-Arnold. Opting for Fortea would be a bet on upside and long-term transformation. Backing Jiménez would prioritise security, experience in the system, and immediate reliability.
There is still a third option on the table: ignore both for now and look outside, should the right opportunity appear.
But La Fábrica exists for moments like this. Carvajal once came through as the hungry academy full-back who grew into a leader and a symbol. Now, as he prepares to take his final bow, the question hangs in the air at Valdebebas:
Who dares step into his shadow next season — the daring prodigy, the silent captain, or someone from beyond Madrid’s own walls?
