As Real Madrid prepare to welcome Turkish teenage sensation Arda Guler, they are preparing to let another wonderkid depart the club.
Sergio Arribas, who has shone with the Castilla team, has reportedly been told that leaving the club would be best for his development.
There is no shortage of interest in the 21-year-old, with Borussia Dortmund and Girona amongst the interested parties.
The midfielder has scored 40 and assisted 15 times in 92 games for Castilla, and has played in a variety of attacking positions. Primarily a number 10, he has also made 14 senior appearances, scoring once.
The signing of Guler, alongside Jude Bellingham, have almost certainly ruled out any chances of first-team action for Los Blancos next season, and journalist Javier Birlanga has claimed that he has been told that leaving will be his best option if he wants to play regularly.
What should Real Madrid do with Arribas?
Given the interest in the Spaniard, a sale looks to be the right option now, but Real can follow the example set by some of their other recent departures.
Inserting sell-on and buy-back clauses in his deal could protect the club’s interests going forward, as has been seen with Fran Garcia.
If Arribas shines at his new club, and prepares for a big-money move, Real can profit further on the deal. If they want to bring him back in the future, they can do so for a bargain price if these clauses are inserted whilst they make the sale.
A sale within La Liga could be best for Arribas, as has been shown by Miguel Gutierrez’s success at Girona, and Garcia’s excellent spell with Rayo Vallecano, if he is still set on earning a future opportunity to play for Los Merengues.
Whilst there may be no room in Real Madrid’s squad now, this could be a different story in the future once veterans Toni Kroos and Luka Modric eventually move on, and a home-grown talent like Arribas could become very useful.