Real Madrid Castilla is seeing a lot of movement these days. Many players are leaving for other clubs after shining at the academy, which they quite literally call 'The Factory'.
Well, that is almost always the fate of most Castilla graduates. Real Madrid are notoriously reluctant to promote academy players to the first team and almost always sell them for a hefty profit to other clubs, usually including a buy-back clause in case one stands out later.
But a few players do break through and are drafted for senior duty. Dani Carvajal is the biggest example in the current squad. Last season, Raul Asencio became a regular defensive name during the centre-back crisis, and he certainly stood out.
He was one of the best additions Carlo Ancelotti made to the squad, and one of the rare young players the Italian manager truly placed his trust in.
Real Madrid finally promote Raul Asencio to the first team
According to the official La Liga website, Los Blancos have registered Asencio as a first-team player, promoting him from Castilla. His new number is yet to be decided, after wearing 35 throughout the season.
This promotion had been pending for some time, following the exceptional performances of the 2003-born Spaniard.
Even Xabi Alonso recognizes the qualities he brings, pairing him with Dean Huijsen as the starting centre-backs in the Club World Cup, until Asencio made some reckless errors that led to his suspension.
But that performance in the United States does not reflect his overall time with the first team. I see it as a one-time blunder.
While it may have echoed the way he used to play with Castilla, this promotion should serve as a wake-up call, instilling a greater sense of responsibility in Asencio to avoid such mistakes in the future.
Hopefully, Gonzalo Garcia next.