This article was originally published on www.si.com as Alvaro Carreras: Why Real Madrid Paid €50 Million to Re-Sign a Player Who Left For Free. Five years later, Álvaro Carreras is back with Real Madrid.

Carreras has taken a winding route via Manchester United, the Championship and Benfica to get back to the Spanish capital

Real Madrid has signed Álvaro Carreras from Benfica on a six-year deal. The 22-year-old left back previously played in Madrid's youth academy from 2017-20.