You can’t say no to Madrid — Spanish striker Espí

Real Madrid striker Carlos Espí Photo: X

Real Madrid striker Carlos Espí has opened up about the whirlwind transfer that took him from Levante to Real Madrid last summer, revealing how close he came to a move to England before the Spanish giants stepped in.

Speaking on Cadena SER’s El Larguero on Wednesday, the young Spanish striker explained the rapid turn of events that changed the course of his career.

“Premier League clubs were ready to sign me… then Real Madrid appeared and I couldn’t say no,” Espí said. “You can’t reject Real Madrid. The deal was done in 48 hours.”

The 21-year-old (born July 2005 in Tavernes de la Valldigna) had enjoyed a breakout campaign with Levante, scoring crucial goals that helped the club and earning recognition as one of La Liga’s top under-23 performers. Interest from Premier League sides was genuine and advanced, but Real Madrid’s intervention, triggered in part by the departure of Gonzalo García to Fulham and José Mourinho’s specific request for a physical, aerial target man, shut everything else down almost overnight. Madrid paid Espí’s €25 million release clause and signed him to a five-year deal running until June 2031.

The tall (1.94m) centre-forward has since embraced life at the Bernabéu, even if his minutes have been limited.

He has already delivered several high-impact performances off the bench, including late goals that earned important points.

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Espí made clear his determination to keep fighting for opportunities under Mourinho.

“I will fight for Real Madrid. I will give my best, everything,” he declared. He also spoke warmly of his relationship with the Portuguese coach: “Mourinho cares a lot about me and I’m so happy with him.”

In other comments around the same period, Espí has highlighted Mourinho’s combination of closeness and high standards, noting that the manager stays on top of him with both praise and constructive criticism and urges him to make the most of every minute he gets. He has also spoken of learning from teammates such as Kylian Mbappé while remaining ready whenever called upon.

The move still feels surreal for the Valencian. He has described the speed of everything, from the secretive negotiations that even kept family and friends in the dark until the last moment, to adapting to a squad full of world-class talent, as almost overwhelming, but he remains focused on giving everything for the club.

Espí’s story is still in its early chapters at Real Madrid, but his attitude and clinical finishing when given the chance have already made him a useful weapon in Mourinho’s squad.