Rodri's Return Dreams Exposed as Real Madrid's Summer Fire Sale Unfolds

A future return to Real Madrid remains the aspiration for Chema Andrés, who has embarked on a new journey with VfB Stuttgart this season as he looks to establish himself at the highest level.

Chema moved to Los Blancos from Levante at age 13 and featured in 32 matches for Real Madrid Castilla during the previous campaign. He also received several call-ups to the senior squad, making two substitute appearances in La Liga and one in the Copa del Rey.

However, pursuing a more direct route to consistent playing time appeared to be the wise choice at this point in the 20-year-old's development, with Stuttgart securing his services through a €3 million ($3.5 million) deal in July.

Chema had to be patient for his Bundesliga bow, remaining on the bench during Stuttgart's loss to Union Berlin, before entering as a substitute against Borussia Mönchengladbach. Surprisingly, despite being compared to Manchester City and Spain holding midfielder Rodri and not renowned for his goalscoring, Chema found the net with the decisive strike in a 1–0 victory.

This marked his first goal since scoring for Real Madrid C during the 2023–24 season.

"I believe it's premature to discuss that topic. But naturally, representing Real Madrid is every footballer's ambition. I hope to go back someday, but I'm progressing gradually," Chema shared with Disidencia Deportiva regarding his long-term objectives.

Following their typical approach with promising talents who depart for regular minutes at other clubs, Madrid are understood to have secured a buyback option in the agreement that brought Chema to Stuttgart.

This figure has been reported by German sources as €13.5 million, still a modest sum for Los Blancos to activate. The transfer deal reportedly also features a sell-on provision guaranteeing Madrid 50% of any future profit should Stuttgart eventually sell Chema to another club.

Real Madrid have utilized buyback clauses previously, most famously to reacquire Dani Carvajal from Bayer Leverkusen in 2013, with the fullback subsequently becoming a Bernabéu icon. Álvaro Morata was similarly retrieved from Juventus in 2016 and transferred for substantial profit twelve months later.

The upcoming buyback option Madrid might exercise involves Argentine creative midfielder Nico Paz, who can be re-signed from Como.