Alvaro Carreras who plays in the leftback position is currently one of the most talked-about young defenders in European football, find out more about him below
Despite his young age, the left-back has already proven to be a standout performer for Benfica in the 2024–25 season.
Who is footballer Alvaro Carreras, bio, age, height, parents, position, sell on clause, transfer fee and stats
🚨⚪️ Alvaro Carreras wants to join Real Madrid and his plan has not changed.
No bid or club to club talks yet but understand Real will approach Benfica after Taça de Portugal final to reach an agreement.
Carreras has already agreed terms with Real, as @SrNaninho reported. pic.twitter.com/RcOdFraSkO
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) May 20, 2025
🚨⚪️ After Taça de Portugal final, Real Madrid will accelerate talks with Benfica for Álvaro Carreras. Plan confirmed.
The player has already accepted Real Madrid as next destination with contract terms also ready.
Club to club talks to enter key stages after the game. pic.twitter.com/Pi1xMCNJtV
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) May 22, 2025
Although he faced initial rejection from Real Madrid’s academy in the past, he could potentially return there as a star following rumoured transfer links.
Benfica and Real Madrid are currently discussing the final price for the leftback, which should be in the range of €40 to €50 million.
When the defender was sold to Benfica, there was a £15m buy-back option attached to his contract and the Portuguese side then placed a €50m release clause. The matching rights and sell-on clause are such that United will get a slice of the amount for which Carreras is bought from Benfica and when Real Madrid buy Carreras, a part of the funds goes to United as well.
United would receive not less than 40% of the left-back’s transfer fee, meaning they could earn between £16.8 million and £20 million if a team were to trigger his Benfica release clause.
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Alvaro Carreras bio
Alvaro Carreras is a professional footballer who was born on March 23, 2003, in Ferrol, Spain. Carreras was born to parents, Xavier Fernandez, and Maria Carreras, and grew up in a modest household. His parents played a significant role in supporting his football dreams. Despite his father’s surname being Fernandez, Alvaro adopted his mother’s surname for professional recognition.
He is currently single and unmarried.
Age and height
Carreras is currently 22 years old, and stands at a height of 6 feet 1 inch tall (185 cm).
Nationality
Alvaro Carreras is Spanish by nationality and represents Spain at the international level, having already made senior national team appearances.
Career and stats
Alvaro Carreras started out his football journey in Spain, playing for Real Madrid Castilla who eventually released him at age 16. Following the release, he eventually moved abroad in search of better opportunities, and joined Manchester United’s U23s. After impressing there, he went out on several loans, including a loan move to Preston, Granada, and finally to Benfica, where he achieved a major breakthrough. Given below are his club and international career stats, along with his awards and achievements.
Club Career Stats
| Year | Club | Appearances | Goals | Assists | Year |
| 2024-25 | Benfica | 49 | 4 | 5 | 2024-25 |
| 2023-24 | Benfica | 16 | 1 | 1 | 2023-24 |
| 2023-24 | Granada (loan) | 14 | 0 | 0 | 2023-24 |
| 2022-23 | Preston (loan) | 42 | 0 | 6 | 2022-23 |
| 2021-22 | Manchester United U23 | 32 | 4 | 7 | 2021-22 |
International Career Stats
| Year | Appearances | Goals | Assists |
| 2023-Present | 9 | 0 | 1 |
| 2021-22 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Awards and Achievements
| Award Name | Year |
| Taca da Liga | 2024-25 |
| Denzil Haroun Reserve Player of the Year | 2021-22 |
| Preston North End Young Player of the Year | 2022-23 |
Playing style and strengths
Alvaro Carreras is known to play with a blend of old-school grit and a modern attacking flair. He excels in progressive passing (6.63 per 90 minutes) and possesses the ability to deliver accurate crosses, having created 33 chances in the 2024-25 season alone. Defensively, Carreras has won 55.7% of duels and made over 40 interceptions this season. He also possesses impressive aerial prowess, scoring two set-piece goals this season. The youngster also possesses great versatility, thriving in multiple tactical systems. One drawback to his play style is his aggressiveness, having earned 9 yellow cards this season.
Contract and Salary
Alvaro Carreras currently earns an annual salary worth €313,225 at Benfica. However, a move to Real Madrid, would reportedly secure him a five-year deal worth €9 million annually. Given below are his salary stats from the previous seasons.
| Year | Weekly Salary | Annual Salary |
| 2024-25 | €6,024 | €313,225 |
| 2023-24 | €6,141 | €319,321 |
| 2022-23 | €4,471 | €232,506 |
Net Worth
According to various sources, Alvaro Carreras has an estimated net worth of between €2 million and €3 million.
Alvaro Carreras has an Instagram account with the handle @alvarocarreras3, where he has over 305K followers, and about 216 posts.
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