Real Madrid are poised to activate another financial lever as midfielder Antonio Blanco attracts serious transfer interest across La Liga.
The former academy graduate has become a prime target for both Villarreal and Real Betis following a standout campaign with Deportivo Alaves , reports AS .
With Alaves slapping a €10 million price tag on the defensive midfielder, Real Madrid are closely monitoring the situation due to a lucrative 50% sell-on clause retained during his exit, which would guarantee a swift €5 million windfall for the club.
Blanco originally broke into Real Madrid's first team during the 2020/21 season under Zinedine Zidane, showcasing immense promise as a composed anchor in the midfield.
However, due to severe competition in the squad, the club opted to facilitate his development externally. He was sent on loan to Cadiz in the summer of 2022 before cutting that spell short to join Alaves on loan in January 2023.
Real Madrid set to benefit from move involving Blanco. (Photo by Ion Alcoba Beitia/Getty Images)
After helping Alaves secure promotion, he moved there on a permanent transfer in July 2023. Crucially, club president Florentino Perez insisted on retaining half of his sporting rights – a strategy that is now paying off handsomely.
With Blanco likely to be on the move, Real Madrid are set for another financial boost from a deal involving a former player.
This impending windfall is part of a much larger masterclass in academy monetization that has seen Real Madrid generate more than €100 million this summer alone from former La Fabrica talents.
The club's business model of selling prospects while keeping massive sell-on percentages or buyback clauses has triggered an unprecedented cash injection.
Nico Paz fetched €60 million. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
The bulk of this astonishing summer revenue comes from high-profile deals across Europe. Nico Paz's high-value move to Como brought in a staggering €60 million, while winger Victor Muñoz's transfer to Liverpool yielded another €20 million.
Furthermore, striker Alvaro Rodriguez netted the club a cool €12.5 million via his move to Bournemouth . Another €15 million will arrive from Mario Gila 's move to AC Milan .
Combined with smaller departures like Mario Martin, Real Madrid's academy revenue stream has comfortably shattered the €100 million milestone.
Blanco's potential move to Villarreal or Betis is simply the latest example of how Real Madrid use their academy as an elite financial engine
