Real Madrid have agreed new contracts with Fede Valverde and Eduardo Camavinga.
Valverde last signed a six-year deal in 2021, when his release clause was raised to €1billion (£864m, $1.06bn). The 25-year-old will increase his salary as part of his new deal, which will run until 2028.
The Athletic reported in March that Real had opened contract talks with Camavinga. The 20-year-old will also increase his salary and see his release clause rise to €1bn.
Advertisement
Several representatives of Camavinga’s agency travelled to Spain to seal the deal and attended Real’s 2-0 win over Las Palmas at the Santiago Bernabeu on September 27, in which Camavinga played 77 minutes.
The €1bn release clause is a theme of recent contract renewals at Real — with Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo and Eder Militao all agreeing to the terms last summer, though their deals are yet to be formally announced.
Vinicius Jr’s announcement was scheduled for last week but was delayed after club president Florentino Perez tested positive for COVID-19 and missed the 4-0 win over Osasuna last weekend.
Valverde has made 215 appearances since for Real signing from Uruguayan side Penarol in 2017, while Camavinga has played 110 times since his move from Rennes in 2021.
How important are these deals for Real?
Real decided some seasons ago that they must invest in young talent and sign these players before they become better known and the richer clubs get the upper hand with their money.
That’s also why they started to set release clauses of €1bn.
The costs to sign Valverde, around €5m, and Camavinga, €31m plus variables, and the subsequent bets on their development are clear examples of this strategy followed by the club.
With these moves, Real are rewarding the growth of two of their mainstays and securing their future against the interests of other teams.
GO DEEPER
Real Madrid's south stand: How the club transformed a former far-right stronghold
(Photos: Julian Finney/Getty Images, Sam Hodde/Getty Images)