Alex Jimenez has started to prove himself an exciting talent with Milan but clauses in his contract offer him a road back to Real Madrid even if he’s signed by the Rossoneri.
The 18-year-old Spanish full back joined the Milanese club on a loan deal with a €5m buy option attached in the summer, slotting into the Primavera squad. After impressing at Under-19 level, he played 80 minutes of Milan’s Coppa Italia win over Cagliari, showing positive signs.
Milan have a history of developing young players from Real Madrid. Brahim Diaz spent three years with the club from 2020 to 2023 before returning to Spain, where he’s received regular playing time under Carlo Ancelotti.
As reported by La Gazzetta dello Sport, Real Madrid hold a buy-back clause on Jimenez which is active in the summer transfer windows of 2025 and 2026, meaning he could return to the Spanish capital even if Milan pay €5m to sign him in the summer.
It’s still unclear how much the buy-back option would cost, but regardless Milan may not be able to retain the 18-year-old for long even if they invest at the end of the season.