Nacho Fernandez: Could Real Madrids latest one-club man be on his way out?

Nacho Fernandez has been important for Real Madrid since making his debut in 2011. He has made 298 appearances and lifted 22 trophies, but now the man who joined their youth system aged 10 is weighing up his future in the Spanish capital.

In 2013, the defender had already become a regular in the first-team squad under Jose Mourinho, but it was not unusual to see him sitting in the stands at Real Madrid Castilla’s Alfredo Di Stefano stadium, cheering on his younger brother Alex Fernandez and crying when he lost. The Fernandez brothers were key to the B team’s promotion to the second division in 2012 with a team full of promising players such as Dani Carvajal, Lucas Vazquez and Alvaro Morata.

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Nacho captained that side — he has worn the armband at every level for Madrid since first joining as a youngster. After 22 years as a Real Madrid player, Nacho is now Carlo Ancelotti’s vice-captain, behind only Karim Benzema. But whether Nacho stays at the Bernabeu is in doubt.

The defender’s contract expires in June, but he has received an offer of a one-year renewal. According to sources familiar with negotiations who preferred to remain anonymous to protect their positions, the ball is now in Nacho’s court.

“I’m happy here, I’m playing, I want to focus on this,” the 33-year-old said after Madrid’s 4-0 win against Elche on Wednesday night. “I will decide in a very personal way and always respect my club. I want to focus on the day-to-day. Whatever has to be, will be.”

Nacho’s decision has nothing to do with money — that has never been a primary concern for him and it is the reason his salary is relatively modest compared to the highest-paid members of the squad. But he wants to play and to feel like an important part of the team.

It is precisely because of this attitude that many at Real Madrid feel Nacho has not received all he deserves during his 12 seasons as part of the first team.

Ancelotti explained it clearly in his latest appearance in front of the media.

Behind the scenes at Real Madrid…

“He has more competition as a centre-back (after the signing of Antonio Rudiger from Chelsea last summer), but he has played his games and he has delivered,” the Madrid head coach said. “This is not where you prefer to play, but where you have to contribute and Nacho has always done that, last year and this year. The situation is quite clear: he has to decide what to do.”

The club would love to see him finish his career at the Bernabeu but also understand he has earned the right to decide. “Nacho has to do what is best for him,” said one source close to Madrid’s leadership who preferred to remain anonymous to protect their position.

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It is a long time since Nacho first emerged as a hugely reliable defender, leading to a phrase made popular by the Spanish press: “Nacho always delivers”. But that displeased those around him, who saw him as more than a utility man.

But as coaches have come and gone at Madrid over the years — Mourinho, Rafa Benitez, Zinedine Zidane, Julen Lopetegui, Santi Solari and Ancelotti — Nacho has played in every defensive position. His versatility is one of his greatest assets and, at Madrid’s academy, where he started as a midfielder, he has become the best example of a “total player” for those coming through the ranks — someone who adapts to the circumstances of any game and competes at the highest level.

That is true off the pitch as well as on it. In 2016, Nacho revealed that he had suffered from type 1 diabetes since the age of 12. The news came as a great shock to Madrid fans, but the defender has learnt to live with the condition very naturally — yet more proof for the club of Nacho’s personality and his status as a valued member of the squad.

That is why Nacho has not lost his place at Madrid, even after multiple summers in which the club have bolstered their squad with some of the best players in the world. It is also why he was not told he would be third- or fourth-choice centre-back, even when Rudiger arrived last year on a free transfer.

Most appearances at Real Madrid

Real Madrid's one-club men

Ancelotti likes Nacho and has defined him on more than one occasion as a “pessimistic” defender because he is never overconfident. He has played 1,403 minutes this season in 22 games and could still surpass last season’s figures (2,541 minutes played in 42 games). Ancelotti appears to be relying on him more than he did in his first spell as coach — newly promoted from Real Madrid Castilla, Nacho was given 1,368 minutes in 19 games in the 2013-14 season and 1,016 minutes in 12 games in the 2014-15 season.

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Since then, Nacho has won five Champions League titles, three La Liga titles and has had four children — two of them just before a final, one before the Champions League final of 2016 and another before Saturday’s Club World Cup victory against Al Hilal. He appears to have a special connection with finals and would retire as one of Madrid’s distinguished one-club men if he accepted Madrid’s contract proposal. That is a list that includes legendary former players Jose Maria Zarraga, Jose Antonio Camacho, Miguel Porlan — more commonly known as Chendo — and Manolo Sanchis.

In the meantime, several clubs are keeping an eye on Nacho’s situation, including those in Major League Soccer, as reported by The Athletic last month. But none have made an offer yet and, according to sources close to the player who wish to remain anonymous to protect their position, they are waiting for Nacho’s decision on his renewal. That is the same situation as previous seasons, with Madrid following a policy of only renewing over-30s on a yearly basis.

Despite Nacho’s consistent performances, however, Ancelotti preferred to start Carvajal and David Alaba in the Club World Cup final — with the former having recorded a high temperature the previous day and the latter suffering from gastroenteritis and recovering from injury. That was less than encouraging for Nacho, who came on for the last half-hour of the 5-3 victory against Al Hilal.

For all those reasons, the next few games will provide a measuring stick for Nacho. The defender will see how important he is to the team, particularly if Madrid lose other defensive options to injury or if Rudiger’s performances are not up to scratch.

Even so, the relationship between Madrid and Nacho remains exemplary, so a departure on bad terms is inconceivable. The player is a Madridista and knows that this is his home. If he decides to leave for another club, Madrid would turn to the youth system again — although they are unlikely to find another Nacho.

(Top photo: Marcio Machado/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)

The Athletic’s Spanish football coverage has expanded…

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