Dani Carvajal has joined Getafe as a free agent, the 34-year-old right-back returning to competitive football after his contract at Real Madrid expired in June left him without a club.
Carvajal’s association with Real Madrid stretched across 23 years, beginning when he entered the club’s academy in 2002 and ending with him wearing the captain’s armband. He leaves as one of the most decorated players in the history of the game, with 27 titles to his name, among them six Champions League triumphs. The move keeps him in the city of his birth: Getafe are based in the south of Madrid and currently sit 11th in La Liga.
His record at international level is similarly substantial. Carvajal won 51 caps for Spain, a span that included the Nations League victory in 2023 and the European Championship triumph in 2024.
The closing seasons of his time at Real Madrid, however, were disrupted by injury. He suffered a cruciate ligament tear in October 2024 and then another serious knee injury a year later. Those setbacks, combined with the arrival of Trent Alexander-Arnold last summer, limited his appearances during his final campaign at the Bernabeu.
Getafe, who have signed him on a deal running until June next year, said they welcomed the “experience and leadership” he brings to the squad.