Free transfer: 19‑year‑old Aimar Garcia signs with Real Madrid until 2030

Real Madrid have secured 19‑year‑old defender Aimar Garcia on a free transfer, signing him to a contract that runs until 2030 after his Atletico Madrid contract expired in June. The versatile centre‑back, also capable of playing defensive midfield, will join Julian Lopez de Lerma’s Castilla side as the club looks to boost its reserve squad.

Garcia featured for Atletico Madrid C during the 2022‑23 season, appearing regularly in the reserve side. He declined to renew his contract, which expired in June, enabling Los Blancos to acquire him on a free transfer despite interest from Real Betis and Italian club Cagliari.

The 19‑year‑old began his football education at Villaverde’s academy before moving to Rayo Vallecano’s youth setup. He later spent a brief period in Real Madrid’s own youth ranks, recovered from injury setbacks at Getafe, and completed three seasons with Atletico Madrid’s academy.

Real Madrid had been monitoring Garcia for several months prior to sealing the deal. The club’s scouting department convinced that his versatility as a centre‑back and defensive midfielder justified a long‑term contract until 2030.

Garcia will report to Julian Lopez de Lerma’s Castilla team, which is aiming for promotion to the Primera RFEF next campaign. His defensive flexibility is expected to strengthen the reserve side’s back line as they pursue that objective.

The signing adds to Real Madrid’s ongoing strategy of bolstering its academy pipeline with promising Spanish talent. Garcia follows a recent wave of former Atletico academy players such as Gabriel Suarez, Ariel Nkoghe, Yeremaiah and Adrien Bielsa who have also joined Castilla.