Real Madrid Official: Real Madrid sign Racing midfielder. Who is Sergio Martínez? Barcelona, Atlético Madrid, Villarreal and clubs from England and Saudi Arabia were interested, but the 19-year-old has chosen Real Madrid. Sergio López twitter Roddy Cons twitter Madrid. Update: Aug 31st, 2026 05:40 EDT 0 Share facebook twitter whatsapp Make us preferred on Google A rough diamond for just over $3.5 million. A bet on the future. And now it’s official: Racing Santander’s Sergio Martínez is a Real Madrid player . The young midfielder may be only 19 years old , but at 6-foot-2 he’s headed for the Santiago Bernabéu. Just not immediately. The plan is for him to begin with Castilla and climb the ladder naturally, earning opportunities with the first team as he develops. Meritocracy is the idea. This season, he’ll split his time between Primera RFEF and first-team appearances . It’s the arrival of a player whose breakthrough has come quickly, but whose momentum keeps growing. Barcelona, Atlético Madrid, Villarreal, Premier League clubs, and even Saudi teams all made moves for him . Time will tell whether the gamble pays off. But it’s already a reality. He has signed through 2030 . Sergio Martínez celebrates his goal against Villarreal. Juan Manuel Serrano Arce Racing Santander statement on Martínez’s Madrid move “Racing Santander and Real Madrid CF have reached an agreement for the transfer of Sergio Martínez. “The Madrid club has committed to paying, in a single installment, the full amount established in the release clause of Martínez’s contract with Racing Santander. As a result, the player from Laredo leaves the Green and White club. “At Racing, where Sergio has been since age 10 and progressed through every level from the Under-11 B team to the first team, making 15 senior appearances, we want to wish him every success in his future professional and personal challenges. “Good luck, Sergio. We’re incredibly proud of your journey at our club and the way you’ve represented our badge over the years. El Sardinero will always be your home.” Sergio Martínez and Racing manager Jose Alberto embrace after a game. Real Racing Club Sergio Martínez’s week of reflection The deal took just over a week to reach its conclusion. On Aug. 19, Real Madrid entered the race and turned everything upside down. That’s the usual reaction when the call comes from Los Blancos. Three days earlier, Sergio Martínez had started Racing’s opening league match. And not only that, he scored a stunning goal against Villarreal . His thunderbolt was clocked at 78.7 mph, making him Racing’s youngest player this century to score on his top-flight debut at 19 years and 93 days. It was the perfect finishing touch to a brilliant performance in midfield . More importantly, it was the realization of a dream: he’d come through Racing’s academy from the youth ranks. Sergio Martínez during a training session with Racing. Barcelona and Atleti lose out to Madrid He was El Sardinero’s hometown kid. Quiet but gifted. Deeply admired. But in Cantabria, people had long accepted that bigger clubs might eventually lure him away. As early as the Christmas period, despite having played only 10 first-team matches, the offers began to pile up. Barcelona, Atlético Madrid, Villarreal, and Real Madrid all explored signing him . Calls. Contacts. Serious interest. Back in November, Racing had tried to get ahead of the situation by extending his contract through 2029. But his release clause remained tempting: just over $3.5 million. Keeping him depended more on convincing the player than discouraging interested clubs. That approach worked for a while, until Real Madrid shifted into another gear. The relationship between the clubs was excellent. So much so that the transfer wasn’t completed through the release clause, which often creates the impression of a move made against a club’s wishes, even when that’s not entirely true. Instead, both clubs sat down and agreed on a fee slightly above the clause. It was largely symbolic, a way of showing that both sides had worked toward an understanding. Given what Racing was losing, the goal was to make the departure as amicable as possible. Protecting relationships mattered. Sergio Martínez in action for Racing against Getafe. LaLiga LaLiga or Primera RFEF? There were doubts. Naturally, and publicly acknowledged. Racing sporting director Chema Aragón said last Tuesday: “ Sergio Martínez has doubts . There’s Real Madrid, but there’s also Racing. If we can guarantee him a starting spot here, he’ll never want to leave . I’ve told Real Madrid that, but they’re coming with everything, and the kid is taking time to think things through.” Those were days of weighing one future against another. Stay at Racing and perhaps let the Real Madrid train pass by, one that rarely comes twice, while continuing to play in Spain’s first division. Or pack his bags for Valdebebas and temporarily drop two divisions . It wasn’t an easy decision, but now there’s an answer. Sergio Martínez has signed through 2030, when he’ll still be only 23 years old. He’ll begin with Castilla and climb from there. What kind of player is Sergio Martínez? Martínez is 19 , stands 6-foot-2 , is right-footed , and plays as a central midfielder . A remarkably complete player. Highly versatile. Quick despite his height, with outstanding technical ability . He’s an organizer with the instincts of an all-around midfielder, although his natural inclination leans slightly more toward attack than defense . But he can do it all. He can dictate play, sit as a holding midfielder, operate box to box, or play as an attacking midfielder . If there’s one easy comparison, it’s a midfielder in the mold of Paul Pogba : someone who covers huge ground, arrives in the attacking third to thread passes, organizes possession, and still contributes defensively. He’s strong in one-on-one duels, dominant in the air, and plays with remarkable personality . He never shrinks from moments that invite exactly that. Those qualities are what attracted Spain’s biggest clubs. Martínez is a quiet kid . More comfortable speaking through his soccer than through interviews. He doesn’t seem obsessed with attention or stardom . He’s a team player , the kind of player who makes everyone around him better. He came through the academy at Club Deportivo Laredo before joining Racing as a youth player. Last season, he made 17 appearances for Rayo Cantabria and another 13 for Racing, including 10 league matches and three Copa del Rey games. His rise at just 18 years old had been spectacular . His breakthrough was happening right then, as a starter in a first-division project. But it didn’t last long. He’s on his way to Real Madrid. ℹ️ Despedida de Sergio Martínez del Real Racing Club ✅ El Real Madrid abonará la totalidad de la cantidad fijada como cláusula de rescisión del contrato del futbolista https://t.co/tCKw6nrePQ pic.twitter.com/SLHlD0KQUQ — Real Racing Club (@realracingclub) August 31, 2026 The goal of reaching Spain’s youth team Soccer runs in the family. His younger brother, Manuel “Lolo” Martínez, is a striker in Racing’s academy and is coming off an astonishing season with 74 goals at the youth level. Time will tell. For now, though, the spotlight belongs to Sergio, who still has unfinished business with Spain’s youth national team . He’s been called up only for three Under-19 friendlies during the September 2025 international break. He wasn’t part of this summer’s European Championship squad, either. But at his age, there’s plenty of time. More than enough time to knock that door down. That journey begins now. It begins today, with the transfer officially complete. Martínez is a Real Madrid player. The diamond from El Sardinero is heading for the Bernabéu, even if will all start at Estadio Alfredo Di Stéfano. He’ll be registered with Castilla, play in Primera RFEF, and earn opportunities with the first team. It’s a signing for the present, but above all, it’s one for the future. Real Madrid has paid a little more than $3.5 million, a bargain for a player with this kind of potential and for someone who had Barcelona, Atlético Madrid, Villarreal, Premier League clubs, and others all chasing his signature. In the end, though, he chose Real Madrid. After wrestling with the decision. After fulfilling his dream of reaching Racing’s first team. It wasn’t an easy choice. But now it’s a reality. He’s signed through 2030. Related stories Get closer to the game! 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Curated by Taleb Kabbara · Source: en.as.com