Real Madrid rank first in youngest average age of player recruitment over last decade

The CIES Football Observatory has released a report detailing the average age of transfers for every club across Europe’s top five leagues over the last nine years.

The data had some clear parameters: players that were promoted from the youth system did not factor into the analysis nor did any player signed with 0 minutes of professional football under their belt. Players on loan were factored into the results for each club.

The youth policy Real Madrid implemented has clearly paid dividends and has been highlighted in a previous Monday Musings. CIES report shows just how heavily Real Madrid have invested and focused on youth: topping the charts above clubs like Borussia Dortmund, Monaco, or Real Sociedad. The 14-time European Champions run out with the lowest average age: (22.87 years), followed by Borussia Monchengladbach (23.36) and Borussia Dortmund (23.57). Signings like Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo Goes, Reinier Jesus, Eduardo Camavinga, Brahim, and many others have helped Madrid hit this unique metric.

The policy does not look to be slowing down with most recent transfer links connected the club to Jude Bellingham (19) of Borussia Dortmund and Endrick (16) of Palmeiras.