On July 16, Lucas Vázquez formally announced that his storied career with Real Madrid had come to a close.
Vázquez initially joined the club’s youth system in 2007 at the age of 16. He climbed through the ranks, making over 100 combined appearances with Real Madrid’s B and C teams, before becoming a prominent figure in Los Blancos’ recent history. Vázquez left the club after winning five UEFA Champions League titles, four La Liga titles, three FIFA Club World Cups and two Copas del Rey, among other honors, across 10 seasons.
In the weeks since Vázquez’s announced departure, little has emerged about where his next destination could be. But according to the Spanish media outlet Estadio Deportivo, Vázquez has been linked to a return to Spain, where he would sign with the only other club he has played for: RCD Espanyol.
“Sporting Director Fran Garagarza is looking for another right winger after bringing in Blackburn’s Tyrhys Dolan on a free from England,” Football España’s Ruairidh Barlow wrote, citing a report from El 1900. “They say that Vázquez has numerous offers on the table, but is yet to take a decision either way.”
Vázquez spent the 2014-15 season on loan with Espanyol prior to making his first-team debut for Real Madrid. That year, he provided 11 goal contributions (four goals and seven assists) across 39 La Liga and Copa del Rey matches.
An Espanyol homecoming for Vázquez is not completely certain, however. Previous reports from Diario AS and Mundo Deportivo indicated that Vázquez has drawn interest outside of Spain, including from Turkey’s Besiktas and Italy’s Juventus and AC Milan.
Should he sign with Espanyol, though, Vázquez would play an integral role in the club’s fight to stay in La Liga for a second consecutive season. Last year, the club finished 14th in the table with 42 points (from 11 wins, nine draws and 18 losses), two points above the drop zone, and a -11 goal differential.
