Carlos Espí says Premier League clubs were ready to sign him, but Real Madrid won the race in two days and took him on a deal worth €25 million that runs until mid-2031. The speed of the move is the standout part here. Espi says the choice was simple once Madrid appeared, and the fee shows they did not need much convincing either.

The move to Madrid

Speaking to Meczyki.pl and A Bola, Espi said Premier League clubs had been in touch before Madrid stepped in. "Premier League clubs were ready to sign me. Then Real Madrid appeared, however, and I could not refuse him. You cannot reject Real, the deal was done in 48 hours," he said, in comments translated from Polish. He also told A Bola, in comments translated from Portuguese, that "There were options to go to the Premier League, but when Real Madrid appears, I could not refuse. It was all very fast, in two days it was all settled."

That transfer speed matters because Madrid were not buying time, they were buying a player they clearly wanted quickly. A €25 million fee and a contract to mid-2031 point to a club planning for the long term, even if the player himself was arriving with an immediate choice rather than a long negotiation behind him.

Mourinho's patience message

Espi's public comments have also put José Mourinho's handling of him in focus. The striker said Mourinho is demanding, attentive and clear about what he wants. "Mourinho tells me that I need to be patient. You have to make the most of every minute and every opportunity," Espi said, again through A Bola. He added: "Every minute he gives me is gold."

That lines up with his current role. The numbers show he has made 11 appearances and scored three goals this season, while he also said he has spent only 51 minutes on the pitch. The issue is not whether he has made a quick impression, it is where he fits in a side built around Kylian Mbappé.

Mbappé already has 13 league goals and four in the Champions League this season, so Espi is trying to do something more awkward than chasing a headline transfer. He has to stay patient, take the minutes Mourinho gives him and keep the pressure on from behind a striker who is already producing.

Madrid paid for Espi as a long-term addition, but the first few months have been about acceptance rather than status. He is in the squad, he has scored, and the next part of the story is whether those minutes start to grow before Spain's under-21 side face Albania on 17 November.

Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 4 outlets. How we work →