Real Madrid transfer news: Los Blancos ‘aware’ of Liverpool interest in €150m starlet who “has everything”

Premier League champions Liverpool are interested in signing highly-rated Real Madrid starlet Joan Martinez, according to a report.

Arne Slot’s side are known to be in the market for a new centre-back after failing to sign top target Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace on the final day of the summer transfer window.

Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Ibrahima Konate are the only three senior central defenders fit and available to Slot, but the latter’s performances have come under scrutiny at a time when his long-term future at Anfield is uncertain.

Konate is out of contract in June 2026 and Real Madrid are believed to be one European club who are weighing up the potential signing of the France international on a free transfer.

It has now emerged that a fresh tussle between Real Madrid and Liverpool could take place over the future of 18-year-old defender Martinez.

?️ Joan Martínez
? Real Madrid Castilla pic.twitter.com/H3l3SVaOlf

— Cantera Real Madrid (@lafabricacrm) September 12, 2025

“Martinez could have a big future at Real Madrid” despite Liverpool links

According to Spanish news outlet Marca, Liverpool are among the clubs keen on a deal for Martinez and Real Madrid are ‘aware’ of their interest in the teenager who has been described as ‘one of the crown jewels’ at Los Blancos.

Martinez, who is yet to make his professional debut, has featured 14 times for Real Madrid Castilla and scouts from Liverpool, Juventus and Borussia Dortmund were allegedly present at the UEFA Youth League match between the Reds and Los Blancos at Liverpool’s academy training ground on November 4.

However, ‘the surprise was immense’ among scouts when they realised that Martinez had not even travelled to play in Real’s 4-0 win; the teen had played for Castilla just two days earlier and with little recovery time between the two matches, the decision was made to omit him from the squad.

The report adds that Real Madrid have long been aware of the interest in Martinez from numerous clubs, and they remain ‘calm’ and ‘confident’ about his future after the youngster extended his contract last September until 2029, which includes a €150m (£131.7m) release clause.

Real Madrid’s first-team head coach Xabi Alonso is said to be monitoring Martinez’s progress, while former boss Carlo Ancelotti has previously heaped praise on the talented defender.

“Joan has potential,” Ancelotti told reporters during his time at the Bernabeu. “He’s very young, but he has everything a centre-back needs: good on the ball and very attentive to detail.

“He could have a big future at Real Madrid. So far, our youth academy have done a terrific job with him because he’s extremely good.”

Real Madrid’s Martinez “has a long way to go”, says Arbeloa

Los Blancos legend Lucas Vazquez - now at Bayer Leverkusen - has labelled Martinez an “incredible kid” with “tremendous potential”, but Real Madrid B manager Alvaro Arbeloa has not been pleased with how the youngster has been playing for the Castilla.

Speaking after Real Madrid Castilla beat CP Cacereno 2-0 earlier this month, Arbeloa told ESPN: "[Martinez] is a very talented young man, but he has a long way to go. To begin with, he needs to train much harder than he is now, with much more focus and intensity.

“If he wants to be a Real Madrid player, he needs to understand that the demands of that position are extremely high.

“What he’s doing now isn’t enough to turn him into a first-team player, and until he realises that, he’ll obviously be a good player for Castilla, but the top level is a different story.

“We’re working on making him understand that he has to be professional and train at his maximum every day.

“That’s where he needs to make a big leap forward to become a Real Madrid player, because he has the talent, the technique, the physical conditions and the mentality…but what he’s doing right now just isn’t sufficient.”

It remains to be seen whether Martinez will earn a first-team call-up in the near future, as Antonio Rudiger, David Alaba, Dean Huijsen, Eder Militao and Raul Asencio are all centre-back options at Alonso’s disposal when fit.