Vinicius Tobias is progressing even faster than expected at Real Madrid

When Real Madrid brought Vinicius Tobias to the club at the start of April, signing him from Shakhtar Donetsk after FIFA granted permission to acquire players belonging to Ukrainian clubs outwith the transfer window, the plan was for the Brazilian right-back to work solely with Castilla, the club’s B team, for at least the rest of the 2021/22 season. The teenager, though, has already impressed the coaches and directors at Real Madrid and earned a call-up to first-team training on Saturday.

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Even though he’ll keep playing for Castilla and not for the first team for the time being, due to rules over non-EU players, Vinicius Tobias is already progressing ahead of schedule. Along with fellow youth teamers Rafa Marín, Alberto Retuerta and Guillermo Sunico, he made up the numbers as Carlo Ancelotti’s squad prepared for their Sunday night trip to take on Sevilla in LaLiga Santander.

At his pre-match press conference, the Italian coach was asked about Vinicius Tobias and the fact that he is already fitting in. Ancelotti replied: “He is doing well and learning quickly. I think he has a lot of quality and he is a right-back with a lot of energy. The plan is for him to play a role in the future, as it is for all players in the academy.”

When might Vinicius Tobias play for the Real Madrid first team?

While he’ll have to wait until at least the summer, Vinicius Tobias could earn minutes with the senior squad in the 2022/23 campaign. It is expected that Vinícius Júnior will have a Spanish passport by then, making the issue of non-EU spots less complicated for his namesake.

The fact that right-back is one of the club’s weaker positions also makes it likely that Vinicius Tobias will earn minutes sooner rather than later. Dani Carvajal and Lucas Vázquez have each had more downs than ups this campaign, yet strengthening this position through the transfer market is not a priority for Real Madrid this summer. If Carvajal and Lucas suffer injuries or struggle in 2022/23, that could open the door for the former Internacional and Shakhtar Donetsk player.

The signing of the young full-back was a low-risk opportunity that presented itself to Real Madrid, who have acquired him on loan until the end of the 2022/23 campaign with an option to buy. If the teenager keeps progressing and impressing his coaches at this current rate, this transfer could prove to be a bargain.