Bruno Lage, the head coach of Benfica, confirmed that the transfer of young defender Alvaro Carreras to Real Madrid is still dependent on the club management's approval, pointing out that the agreement between the two clubs is the first step in any transfer deal.

Lage said in statements during the press conference held before the match against Boca Juniors in the opening of the team's journey in the FIFA Club World Cup: "The first step is for there to be an offer, and for Benfica to reach an agreement, that is the basis, regardless of the player's desire, the two clubs must reach an agreement first."

The Portuguese coach added: "Any player at Benfica who performs like Carreras can play for any team in the world, and speaking about Alvaro, he will not be the first to leave Benfica and join a big European club."

Lage concluded his statements by saying: "I don't want to focus specifically on him, but in the last ten or fifteen years, any player who left Benfica, whether Portuguese or foreign, has been able to play at any club and in any league."

It is worth noting that Real Madrid had shown interest in signing Carreras in the past period, but negotiations stalled due to Benfica's dissatisfaction with the offer made by the Spanish club.