Reports Indicate Carvajal Likely to Leave Real Madrid in 2026, Qatar Move Leads Options
A Qatar visit tied to Al‑Gharafa highlights family priorities, signaling a preference for a less demanding final chapter.
Overview
- Journalist Jorge C. Picón reports Carvajal is closer to departing than renewing, with a final decision expected when his contract ends in July 2026.
- Al‑Gharafa is described as the most realistic destination after Carvajal’s winter‑break trip to Qatar to see brother‑in‑law and ex‑teammate Joselu, where he posed with a club shirt.
- Sources frame the Qatar option as aligning with personal considerations and a desire to step away from the grind of elite European football.
- Carvajal is rehabbing from late‑October knee surgery and is targeting a Spanish Super Cup return in early 2026, with an eye on full fitness for the 2026 World Cup.
- Real Madrid intend to respect his choice and have cover at right‑back after signing Trent Alexander‑Arnold, though coaches value Carvajal’s leadership in a dressing room already missing several veterans.