Real Madrid striker Borja Mayoral told GOL TV he will leave the Bernabeu this summer in search of regular football despite marking a rare start with a goal in a 2-1 win at home against Leganes on Saturday.
Mayoral, a youth product raised near the city, has six goals in 22 appearances across all competitions this term, but the majority of his playing time came when coach Zinedine Zidane rested his biggest names for the Copa del Rey.
Zidane rotated heavily again against Leganes, thinking of the second leg of the Champions League semifinal at home against Bayern Munich on Tuesday, with Mayoral taking advantage of just a third La Liga start to knock home from close range for what ultimately proved the winning goal.
Mayoral, 21, said after the game that at this stage of his career, he needs to be playing more often.
“There are still some games left and I don’t know what will happen,” Mayoral said. “But for sure I will leave the club at the end of the season to get more playing time. I’m young and need to play.”
Mayoral spent 2016-17 on loan at Wolfsburg, scoring two goals from 374 Bundesliga minutes all season. But nine goals in 18 games for Spain’s under-21 side — a better record than Bernabeu legend Raul Gonzalez — means he is not likely to be short of suitors when the transfer window opens.
A number of other young Spanish players on Madrid’s books are also likely to move on this summer, either on loan or in permanent deals. Dani Ceballos, 21, and holding midfielder Marcos Llorente, 23, starred at Real Betis and Alaves, respectively, last season but have barely featured under Zidane this year.
Dermot Corrigan is a Madrid-based football writer who covers La Liga and the Spain national team for ESPN FC. Follow him on Twitter @dermotmcorrigan
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