Real Madrid sign Rennes teenage starlet Camavinga

Real Madrid on Tuesday signed the Rennes midfielder Eduardo Camavinga for 45 million euros on a six-year deal.

Real Madrid signed Eduardo Camavinga from Rennes during the final day of the football transfer window. JEAN-FRANCOIS MONIER AFP/File

The 18-year-old, who was in the final year of his contract with the Breton outfit, made 88 appearances after breaking several records as he progressed from the club’s academy.

Camavinga va s’engager pour 6ans au Real Madrid ! #WelcomeCamavinga pic.twitter.com/kXCvwJg2g7

— Real Madrid 🇫🇷 (@RMadridFrance_) August 31, 2021

In the fixture against Angers on 6 April 2019, Camavinga became at 16 years, four months and 27 days, the youngest Rennes player to feature in Ligue 1 and the first player born in 2002 to turn out in one of Europe's five major leagues. 

Just over eight months later - at 17 years, one month and five days - he became the youngest player to score a goal for Rennes when he hit the team’s late winner at Lyon.

Rennes on Tuesday published a video compilation on social media highlighting Camavinga's eight-year stay with the club.

Du 𝐑𝐨𝐚𝐳𝐡𝐨𝐧 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐤 au 𝐁𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐞́𝐮 🏟

Bonne route @Camavinga ❤🖤 pic.twitter.com/qunp2dnm8Q

— Stade Rennais F.C. (@staderennais) August 31, 2021

Following impressive performances throughout the 2019/2020 season and the start of the new campaign, France boss Didier Deschamps drafted him into the squad for the Nations league games against Sweden and Croatia.

When he replaced N’Golo Kanté in the 63rd minute of the game against Croatia at the Stade de France on 8 September, Camavinga - at 17 years and nine months - entered the record books as the third youngest player to represent the senior team. 

Maurice Gastiger was 17 years and four months when he first played for France in 1914 and Julien Verbrugghe was two months shy of his 17th birthday when he made his debut in 1906.

"He's in his element," said Deschamps after Camavinga’s debut. "And he's got no problems on the physical side of things. He has a way of carrying the ball ... it seems so simple and so easy for him. He's been the youngest person to play for France for a long time and he has the potential to play again for the team."

His strike on 7 October 2020 against Ukraine put him on the list as the second youngest goalscorer for the national squad.

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Deschamps left him out of his squad for last summer’s European championships preferring the experience of Paul Pogba, Adrien Rabiot and Moussa Sissoko.

And his name was again absent from the list for the 2022 World Cup qualifiers against Bosnia-Herzegovina as well as Ukraine though he does feature in Sylvain Ripoll’s under-21 squad for the Euro 2023 qualifiers against Macedonia and the Faroe Islands.

After enjoying star status at Rennes, Camavinga will vie for time in the Madrid midfield with established internationals such as Luka Modric, Toni Kroos, Federico Valverde and Isco.