Carvajal wants Madrid stay for ´many years´, open to future MLS move

Dani Carvajal has no intention of playing for any European club other than Real Madrid, describing a move to MLS as a possibility at the end of his career.

Carvajal came through the ranks at the Santiago Bernabeu before spending a lone season in Germany with Bayer Leverkusen in 2012-13.

Since returning to Madrid, Carvajal has built a legacy as one of the club’s most decorated players, winning LaLiga four times, the Champions League on six occasions and the FIFA Club World Cup five times.

Carvajal scored the opener as Madrid beat Borussia Dortmund in last season’s Champions League final, then played a key role as Spain won a record-breaking fourth European crown at Euro 2024.

Carvajal saw fellow Madrid stalwart Toni Kroos hang up his boots after that tournament and sees his own contract expire next year, but he has no intention of moving or retiring in the near future.

“I have until next summer on my contract. I’m not considering retirement at the moment. I talk about it with my family,” he told The Athletic.

“I want to enjoy every game, every training session. As the years go by, you realise you have to give more value to every moment and enjoy it.

“The relationship I have with the club is very transparent, very clear. If both parties agree to continue, I hope to stay here for many years.”

1 – With 32y 142d, Dani Carvajal is the oldest @realmadriden player to score in a #UCLfinal . The Spanish full back has equalled his best goal involvement tally in a single season (12 – G6 A6, as many as 2016/17 campaign). Hero. pic.twitter.com/neEimje52z

— OptaJose (@OptaJose) June 1, 2024

Pushed on where his future could lie when he does leave the Spanish capital, Carvajal talked up the prospect of following Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba to the United States.

“It’s a possibility. When I decide not to be at Real Madrid, I’m not going to play in Europe and the alternatives are much reduced,” he said of moving stateside.

Asked if that meant he would have to choose between MLS, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, Carvajal said: “Exactly, it would be one of those three options.”

Madrid have taken eight points from their first four games of the season in LaLiga, already sitting four adrift of early pacesetters Barcelona, who have a perfect record.

That is despite Los Blancos finally bringing in long-term target Kylian Mbappe, and some have questioned whether the Frenchman can play in the same side as Brazilian duo Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo.

Carvajal is confident they will make it work, though, saying: “It’s clear that the three feel comfortable playing on the left, but last year I had a lot of space on the wing and it boosted my attacking play a lot.

“This year, I don’t think there will be any problems. When you don’t have the ball, you have to be structured but when you have the ball, the coach gives us more freedom. The system is up to the coach, he’s the one who decides.”

2 – Kylian Mbappe is the fourth @realmadriden
player in the 21st Century in @LaLigaEN whose first goals have been with a brace after Ronaldo, “Chicharito” Hernández and Dani Ceballos (Van Nistelrooy scored a hat-trick). Idol#Mbappe#RealMadridRealBetis pic.twitter.com/7PzC3CKV3P

— OptaJose (@OptaJose) September 1, 2024