Real Madrid’s flirtation with Pedro Porro

There is plenty of excitement in Valdebebas about Marc Cucurella’s arrival and José Mourinho’s new coaching staff, but behind closed doors some figures at Real Madrid admit they wish the club had shown the same determination when it came to Pedro Porro.

Porro had been on Madrid’s radar for years, but he never truly entered the club’s immediate plans. The priority remained Trent Alexander-Arnold, and the investment required to sign the Spanish full-back never fit into the club’s transfer strategy. After his outstanding World Cup, however, some now wonder whether that calculation would have been different.

Madrid’s interest dates back almost a decade. In both 2016 and 2017, when Porro was leaving Rayo Vallecano as a youth player, Alfredo Merino, then the club’s head of domestic academy recruitment, tried to bring him to Valdebebas. The first attempt never materialized, while the second was far more serious.

Ultimately, Girona presented a more attractive sporting project, offering a clearer pathway to the first team. Following the advice of those around him, Porro chose Catalonia instead.

From that point on, he never disappeared from Madrid’s scouting reports.

The successor to Dani Carvajal?

Porro’s name resurfaced regularly during squad-planning meetings. Some within the club viewed him as the natural long-term successor to Dani Carvajal, although not everyone predicted the remarkable development he would go on to enjoy.

His spell at Sporting CP established him as one of Europe’s standout attacking full-backs. At Tottenham Hotspur he became an international star, and this summer’s World Cup elevated him to another level entirely. He also became only the second Spanish defender, after Fernando Hierro, to score twice in a single World Cup.

There was even a window when his future appeared uncertain.

Tottenham wanted to extend his contract, but negotiations dragged on. During that period, Manchester City — who had originally signed him in 2019 before loaning him to Real Valladolid — returned with serious interest and were reportedly prepared to spend up to $70 million.

Roberto De Zerbi, then Spurs manager, strongly urged the club’s hierarchy not to entertain the possibility of selling him, and Tottenham stood firm.

Sources close to the player say that, had Madrid arrived with genuine intent, the outcome might have been very different. Porro, who supported Los Blancos while growing up in Don Benito, would likely have viewed an offer from the Spanish giants very differently.

Trent remained the priority

Madrid evaluated the possibility, discussed it internally and sought opinions, but Porro never advanced beyond being a candidate.

The biggest obstacle was always the club’s commitment to Alexander-Arnold, who was seen as Mourinho’s preferred long-term starter at right back. Signing Porro from Tottenham would likely have cost just over $58 million — probably less than Madrid ultimately spent on Álvaro Carreras or Dean Huijsen — but the club instead pursued a more affordable solution.

That led them to Denzel Dumfries, who arrived for around $23 million but is four years older and offers less long-term upside.

Meanwhile, Tottenham reacted quickly. With City circling and Madrid continually linked, Spurs handed Porro a new contract through 2031 that made him one of the club’s highest-paid players alongside new signing Sandro Tonali, ahead of established names including Cristian Romero, Xavi Simons and James Maddison.

The timing was deliberate. Tottenham wanted the deal completed before he left for the World Cup, anticipating exactly the sort of breakout tournament he ultimately produced.

He arrived at the competition quietly, expected by many to sit behind Marcos Llorente in the pecking order. Instead, he leaves it regarded as one of the finest right backs in world soccer.

Porro is happy in London, and Tottenham are investing heavily as they try to reestablish themselves among Europe’s elite. Even so, those close to him believe he would have loved Madrid to make a genuine push.

Instead, the interest never progressed beyond admiration. Plenty of scouting, plenty of discussion, but never a concrete move.

Now, after a World Cup that transformed his reputation, some inside Valdebebas are left wondering whether they let the right player get away. At 26, there is still time for that story to take another turn.

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