Premier League

The Man Behind Real Madrid’s Transfer Success

The Man Behind Real Madrid's Transfer Success

Brazil have always been a land that has produced prodigy talent, and in recent years, no club has taken more advantage of this than Spanish giants Real Madrid. Casemiro, Rodrygo, Vinicius Jr, and Eder Militao are just some of the names that have shown their talents at the Santiago Bernabeu. And the trend has not stopped, with new teenage prodigy Endrick Felipe joining the team in 2024. This strategy that has brought immense success is the brainchild of Juni Calafat, Real Madrid’s chief scout.

In his nine-year stint with the Los Blancos, Juni Calafat has signed top players, some of whom have gone on to become stars for the team. A look at the number of trophies his players have won signed by him is a clear example.

Casemiro has won 18 trophies, Vinicius Jr has won eight trophies, and Eder Militao and Rodrygo have won seven. So, who is Juni Calafat, and how good is he?

Who is Juni Calafat?

Juni Calafat was born to a Brazilian mother and a Spanish father in Madrid, Spain. However, he spent his formative years in Brazil till his youth. This gave him brilliant insights into the Brazilian football system, something he would use to great effect at Real Madrid.

In 2014, he joined Real Madrid as a scout. Over the next three years, he worked his way up by recommending some quality signings and was appointed as the Chief Scout on June 30, 2017. His promotion was personally recommended by Real Madrid President Florentino Perez, who wanted Calafat to find the next big star, something akin to Lionel Messi.

Perez wanted a player who could replicate the journey of Messi by joining at a young age and becoming a world-class player, which would save Real Madrid a lot of money on the transfer market.

And Calafat, in just four years, has managed to bring the required players from Brazil that have formed the core of the club and have helped the team transition into a new era as older players leave.

Juni Calafat recommended signings 

One of the primary reasons behind his immense success is Calafat’s brilliant ability to forge a deep relationship with the players and their families. The acquisition of Vinicius Jr is a perfect example of that.

Read more:

When Calafat scouted Vinicius Jr, he was just an 18-year-old playing for Flamengo. Sure, he was talented, but no one could have predicted that he could reach the zenith of football. However, Calafat thought differently and was confident that Vincius Jr could be the Lionel Messi signing for Real Madrid.

He presented a…

Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at FootTheBall…