'I left as a child and return as a man' - Alvaro Carreras eager to live his 'dream' at Real Madrid and shrugs off pressure of €50m transfer after joining from Benfica

After penning a six-year deal at Real Madrid, Carreras, who completed a €50 million (£43m/$58m) transfer from Benfica, was unveiled on Tuesday, where he reflected on what it means for him to return to the club where he spent a significant part of his youth.

Carreras, who impressed at the Club World Cup, represented the youth teams of Madrid between 2017 to 2020 until he made a move to Manchester United. In 2024, he was signed by Portuguese heavyweights Benfica on a long-term deal. Madrid, were desperate to sign him in their search for a new left-back, and even considered asking United to trigger their buy-back clause, which was comparatively lower than what Los Blancos eventually paid to Benfica.

Speaking about his return to the La Liga outfit, Carreras said: "Everything, fulfilling a dream, coming home. I'm eager to take on the challenge and get started. I'm living a dream. I left as a child and I return as a man. My mother was thrilled, and that's normal."

Adding to that, he also mentioned that he does not look at the finances attached to the deal, saying: "I don't care about that. I'm confident in who I am and what I can give. I don't get involved in numbers."

Carreras will join Real Madrid's pre-season camp on July 31 and undergo the medical examinations before the club's training commences on August 1.