Official: Madrid Announces His Transfer to Espanyol Following David Alaba's Return

After a long wait, Real Madrid will finally have David Alaba back. The central defender has recovered from the severe injury he suffered a year ago, tearing his cruciate ligament. His return is great news for the team; however, not for an academy player who has decided to leave the club.

Pablo Ramón is officially a player for RCD Espanyol, with the central defender finalizing his departure from the Meringue youth academy. Despite his importance in Castilla, Alaba's return left him without a spot on the roster.

While Real Madrid has announced his departure through an official statement, it doesn't mean his relationship with the club has ended. Besides wishing him luck for the future, the team has retained 50% of the rights to their talented academy player.

The first departure of January

Joining Juvenil A in 2019, Pablo quickly stood out in the youth academy. His excellent level led him to join Castilla just one season later and win the UEFA Youth League. This trophy demonstrated Pablo's potential to be a great central defender in the near future.

Given the injuries the first team's defense suffered this season, Pablo could have gotten his long-awaited opportunity. However, Alaba's return ultimately sealed the fate of the 23-year-old center-back. Aware of the Austrian center-back's importance, Pablo decided to move to a team that offered him the confidence he was seeking.

Even so, Real Madrid retaining 50% of his rights shows that the club will continue to monitor his progress. If he manages to stand out with Espanyol, Pablo would have the opportunity to return to the merengue team. 

Everything depends on Alaba

With several doubts about his level after his absence, Alaba's performance will affect Pablo's fate. If the Austrian doesn't meet expectations, the youth player could return, but if Alaba returns to his best form, Pablo's fate will be sealed.