Atletico Madrid have promoted academy graduates Dani Martínez and Salvador Esquivel to their first-team squad following the closure of the transfer window. According to Neko Deportes, both players, who had previously trained under Diego Simeone, now hold permanent first-team registration. The move sees the defender and goalkeeper complete their journey through the club's youth ranks.
Carlos Martín's situation is different. The striker had a loan move to Almería all but agreed, but the paperwork was not registered in time before the deadline. This leaves him in a difficult position, as the manager does not have him in his plans for this season. The club sought an exit for him to gain playing time, but the deal fell through at the last moment.
Who are the new first-team promotions?
Dani Martínez begins his seventh season at the club. He arrived at the academy in 2020 from Real Zaragoza and was a key figure for Atletico Madrid B last campaign, playing 33 matches. His strong performances earned him a first-team debut against Sevilla at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán last season. This term, he has already featured in the league, playing the full 90 minutes in the win against Málaga. Now, as a first-team player, he will look to establish himself.
Salvador 'Salvi' Esquivel becomes the team's third-choice goalkeeper. The shot-stopper, who joined the club in 2021, played 29 games for the B team last season. His progress earned him a place in the Spain under-21 squad, making his debut in 2025. He will wear the number 25 shirt at the Metropolitano.
What happened with Carlos Martín's exit?
Carlos Martín was expecting to join Almería on loan to find continuity. However, administrative failure meant the paperwork did not reach the league in time, stranding the player at Atletico. The forward is not in Simeone's plans for the 2026-27 campaign, despite featuring in the first league match due to several absences. Competition for attacking places is fierce, with players like Álex Baena, Kang-in Lee, Ademola Lookman, Arnau Ortiz, Julián Álvarez, Alexander Sorloth, and Jonathan David ahead of him in the pecking order.
His recent history includes loan spells at Mirandés, Alavés, and Rayo Vallecano. The lack of minutes in the main squad prompted the club to actively seek a new move, which ultimately collapsed. You can check the full squad composition on our squad page.
How does the squad look after the window?
With these promotions, Atletico finalises its working group for the season. Arnau Ortiz was the first B-team player to be promoted this summer after a standout season where he was the top scorer in the Primera Federación. The team has seen significant departures like Thomas Lemar and José María Giménez, creating space for academy talents to step up.
The central defence is bolstered by Dani Martínez, who adds solidity and system knowledge. In goal, Esquivel provides a young, promising alternative. The team now faces a busy schedule in LaLiga and European competitions, the details of which you can follow on our fixtures calendar.
Atletico Madrid's next fixture is a league match against Valencia this Sunday at the Metropolitano. Dani Martínez and Salvi Esquivel, now official first-team members, will hope to be in the matchday squad.
