Real Madrid's newest striker, Carlos Espi, was one of the most sought-after strikers in Spain when he was playing for Levante. Scoring as many goals as he did while playing such limited minutes in the top flight showed that the Spaniard had talent right away, and soon after that, Real Madrid came calling.
The player joined Los Blancos for 25 million euros, and it seemed like such a bargain of a deal - especially when the player he was supposed to replace - Gonzalo Garcia - was sold for 15 million euros more than what Real Madrid paid for Espi.
Real Madrid already had Endrick. Why did they have to go for Espi? Why did they break the bank immediately to sign him from Levante, especially when they also had Kylian Mbappe leading the line?
The answer is simple. He's got what neither of those two has to show in their deeply talented locker.
Endrick and Kylian Mbappe do not have the aerial presence Carlos Espi is known for
Espi's heading, brute physicality and tall stature are things that Real Madrid have lacked for the last two seasons. When Joselu was at Real Madrid for a season, they had all of those things. He may not have been the most easy-going striker to deal with due to his irregular finishing at times, but the fans loved him because he worked hard, remained physical and helped the team win duels on both ends of the pitch.
Fans can expect the exact same from Espi. Espi is definitely more athletic than Joselu, and is also the younger profile, which makes everything that much easier with the Spaniard.
Obviously, he would not have the experience that Joselu came with, but Real Madrid need a tall, strong presence up top - he can actually even play with Endrick and Mbappe and help them play off of a target man like him.
In the last couple of seasons, Real Madrid have been in so many situations where they were putting cross after cross into the box, with no one to head them in, in the dying stages of the match. Every single time, they had to rely on defenders and midfielders like Antonio Rudiger and Aurelien Tchouameni.
With Espi, they have a body to throw into the attack, and as good as Endrick and Mbappe are, they are simply not target men, which is why no one expects them to do what fans want Espi to do.
Espi is a brilliant signing for Real Madrid. He is already showing flashes of what he can offer, and it remains to be seen just how high his ceiling is.
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