Real Madrid has finalized an agreement to sell its young striker, Jacobo Ortega, to French Ligue 1 side RC Strasbourg. The promising forward departs the prestigious La Fábrica academy directly for France, without ever making an official appearance for the first team.
A Record-Breaking Deal for La Fábrica
According to the radio network Cadena SER, this transfer will become the largest in Real Madrid’s history for a youth player leaving before making their La Liga debut with the senior squad. The Spanish giants successfully negotiated a higher fee and better conditions than initially proposed.
Strasbourg initially submitted an €8 million bid for 50% of the player’s rights. However, the two clubs ultimately reached a final agreement:
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Transfer Fee: €10 million
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Player Rights: Strasbourg acquires 70% of Ortega’s rights.
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Sell-On Clause: Real Madrid retains the remaining 30%, guaranteeing a cut of any future sale. The club also secured mechanisms granting them priority to buy the player back if his development meets expectations.
Rapid Rise and Impressive Stats
This fee represents a massive financial win for Real Madrid, especially considering Ortega never played for the first team and wasn’t even a permanent fixture for Real Madrid Castilla, spending most of last season with Real Madrid C.
Born in 2006, Ortega enjoyed a meteoric rise during the second half of the season. Called up to Castilla to cover for injuries, he quickly became a key player thanks to his blistering pace, intelligent runs behind the defense, and clinical finishing. He netted 18 goals across different levels last season:
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8 goals for Real Madrid C
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6 goals for Real Madrid Castilla
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4 goals for the U-19 (Juvenil) team He also caught the eye with standout performances in the knockout stages of the UEFA Youth League.
Rejecting Spain for the BlueCo Project
Ortega attracted interest from several Spanish clubs, most notably Elche, who pushed hard until the final stages to secure his signature. However, the youngster opted for Strasbourg’s sporting project in Ligue 1, drawn by their affiliation with the BlueCo ownership group, which also owns Chelsea FC.
La Fábrica: A €199 Million Goldmine
The Ortega deal pushes Real Madrid’s revenue from La Fábrica academy sales this summer to a staggering €199 million, more than doubling the previous record of €72 million set in the summer of 2017.
The biggest academy sales this window include:
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Nico Paz: €60 million
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Gonzalo García: €40 million
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Víctor Muñoz: €20.5 million
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Mario Gila: €15 million
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Álvaro Rodríguez & Álex Jiménez: €12.5 million each
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Jacobo Ortega: €10 million
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Palacios: €10 million (to Fulham)
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Víctor Valdepeñas: €8 million
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Fran García: €4 million
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Mario Martín & Fran González: €3 million each
These massive returns highlight the success of Real Madrid’s youth strategy: turning La Fábrica into a massive funding source by selling talented players who cannot find an immediate spot in the first team, while retaining a percentage of their rights to guarantee immediate profit and future financial benefits.
