Levante forward Carlos Espí has completed a permanent transfer to Real Madrid in a fast-moving deal worth approximately 25 million euros, making him the third player in recent history to make the direct switch from the club to the Spanish capital. Espí signed a five-year contract with Real Madrid following an agreement reached between the two clubs.
The move places Espí alongside a select group of players who transitioned from the club to the Santiago Bernabéu.
Keylor Navas and the 2014 World Cup Catalyst
The most prominent recent precedent before Espí was goalkeeper Keylor Navas. Following a standout performance for Costa Rica at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, Real Madrid activated the player’s 10-million-euro release clause to bring him to Madrid.
Navas went on to anchor Real Madrid’s defense through a historic era of success, securing multiple UEFA Champions League titles before eventually continuing his career abroad.
Antonio Calpe and the Golden Era of the 1960s
Going back further, the foundational figure in the modern history of transfers between the two clubs is defender Antonio Calpe. Calpe helped guide Levante to its historic first-ever promotion to Spain’s top flight in 1963.
Two seasons later, Real Madrid acquired the Valencian defender. During his tenure in Madrid, Calpe won multiple La Liga titles and a European Cup. Following his spell with the capital club, Calpe returned to Levante to finish his playing career in the 1970s.
His ties to Levante extended well beyond his playing days. Calpe later worked within the club’s technical secretariat, served as an assistant coach across multiple stints, and stepped in as interim manager twice between 1980 and 1982. He passed away at the age of 81 in 2021.
Early Historical Precedents Before the Modern Era
Player movement between the two institutions dates back well before the formation of the current Levante UD entity in 1939. In the 1940s, forward Pascual Botella made the journey to Madrid.
Earlier still, during the 1920s, players such as Gaspar Rubio and José María Cabo Puig also wore the Real Madrid shirt after beginning their paths in Valencia. These historical moves highlight a decades-long relationship where elite talent from the Valencian coast periodically found its way to the Spanish capital.
Related reading
