After 12 seasons, the veteran Real Madrid player has finally decided to leave the club at the end of the season
summary
- Real Madrid are set to lose a club legend at the end of the 2023-24 season.
- The Madrid veteran has played over 350 matches for ‘Los Blancos’ and won 20 trophies for the Spanish giants.
Nacho Fernandez is one of Real Madrid’s most loyal servants. The Spaniard has been at the club since 2011 when he joined the club’s academy.
Nacho has since etched his name into the Real Madrid history books as a legend, with a resume that would make anyone jealous. A respected figure in and around the club, the 34-year-old is set to captain Real Madrid in 2023.
🚨⚪️ Nacho has expressed his desire to leave Real Madrid at the end of the season.
It has been reported by the club @jefelixdiaz @Marka.
Nacho’s contract expires in June and he is now indeed planning to leave as a free agent. pic.twitter.com/SGFNtsLu0H
— Fabrizio Romano (@Fabrizio Romano) April 19, 2024
However, the Spaniard finally decided to end his career ‘Los Blancos.’ Nacho Fernandez has reportedly announced his decision to leave Real Madrid after his contract at the club expires in the summer of 2024.
Real Madrid fans were at risk of losing Toni Kroos, Luka Modric or Nacho Fernandez at the end of the 23/24 season. Toni looks set to stay another year and Nacho is on the way, while Modric’s future hangs in the balance.
The shocking news comes just days after the Spaniard’s impressive display against Manchester City in the UEFA Champions League 23/24 second leg. The 34-year-old did a great job keeping Erling Haaland calm all night as Real Madrid won the second leg on penalties.
Nacho Fernandez has had an illustrious career for Real Madrid
The player joined the Real Madrid academy in 2001 and steadily rose through the club’s ranks. He joined Real Madrid Castilla in 2009, the reserve team of the 14-time UCL winners. On 23 April 2011, Nacho Fernandez made his senior debut for ‘Los Blancos’ in a La Liga match against Valencia.
Nacho Fernandez has never looked back since, becoming one of the most decorated players in the club’s history. He has won 5 UCLs, 3 La Liga titles, 5 Club World Cups and many other honorable mentions. The 34-year-old is the 3rd most decorated player in Real Madrid’s history with 23 titles and could improve his tally by winning the UCL and La Liga titles in his final season.
However, apart from the trophies, it was the Spaniard’s undying love for Real Madrid, which made him a fan favourite. Although Nacho made more than 350 appearances for the club, he had to be very patient for his opportunities as he was overtaken by more high-profile players.
Still, the Spaniard never made a big deal about it and didn’t go into hard shifts whenever he was told to. Nacho Fernandez always puts his team before himself and plays in different positions. That kind of commitment and loyalty to a club is very valuable these days, and that’s what makes Nacho Fernandez stand out. Real Madrid fans will miss their loyal captain dearly, following his departure.
Both Milan clubs are interested in Nacho
The 34-year-old wants to reinvent his career before retiring completely. An important factor in selecting a new club in Spain is securing playing time. Nacho Fernandez has spent a large part of his Real Madrid career sitting on the bench and would not like a repeat of the same.
And this is where AC Milan and Inter Milan come into picture. A year later, Inter Milan are said to have started showing their interest. The club came close to signing Nacho as a free agent last summer, but the Spaniard remained at Real Madrid after the departure of Karim Benzema, paving the way for him to become the club’s captain.
🇪🇸 Inter are again showing strong interest in Nacho as a free agent after trying to sign him a year ago. But it is not easy.
Nacho wants to keep all options open for a number of clubs, including clubs outside of Europe.
He is expected to leave Real Madrid in June. pic.twitter.com/E4u6yngbY8
— Fabrizio Romano (@Fabrizio Romano) April 19, 2024
Inter Milan, whose financial woes are reportedly not too unknown, are reportedly in the market for two of their defenders—Alessandro Bastoni and Denzel Dumfries. However, signing Nacho will not be easy as their arch-rivals AC Milan are also showing interest.
Furthermore, the 34-year-old may even move outside of Europe for regular football. A true Real Madrid icon, it will be interesting to see how Nacho Fernandez fares outside of Madrid.