Real Madrid News
22-year-old Real Madrid youngster wanted by newly-promoted La Liga club
According to Spanish publication Mundo Deportivo, Deportivo Alaves are one of the three teams looking to sign Real Madrid’s 22-year-old midfielder, Antonio Blanco.
It must be noted that Alaves, who played in the Segunda Division last season, is where Blanco spent the second half of the 2022-23 season on loan.
In August last year, he was shipped to Cadiz on a season-long loan but was recalled in January. Post this, he was sent to Alaves for the rest of the campaign.
Blanco made an impression during his time at Alaves, helping them get promoted to La Liga and the midfielder was one of the top players in the recently concluded UEFA U-21 European Championship.
And now, Alaves have made the signing of Blanco their absolute priority so much so that their sporting director, Sergio Fernandez, has acknowledged they are currently in talks with Real Madrid over the transfer of the midfielder.
Blanco’s ongoing deal with Real Madrid runs until 2024 and we have reported before that the Los Blancos do want to renew his deal. The team from the Spanish capital city has full faith in the youngster’s capabilities but it is just that the competition in the midfield is too much, especially after the arrival of Jude Bellingham.
The midfielder player is aware of the fact that he cannot have a starting role next season. Furthermore, he has admitted in a past interview that the team has bigger decisions to make this summer.
“The truth is that their midfield is full of stars. I thank Ancelotti, but they have other decisions to make, or they see other players they like, and what I didn’t want was to be there without playing,” he told Radio Marca.
For now, whatever decision Madrid will make will be for the betterment of the player. And if that means spending another loan spell with Alaves, then the player will have to accept his fate.
There just does not appear to be any respite from injuries for Real Madrid.
Just when it appeared that they were close to having their full squad – barring the two long-term absentees – the Merengues have been struck down by fresh injuries this week.
Arda Guler, who was on the cusp of being named in the squad for the Las Palmas clash, injured himself in training on Tuesday.
And now, during the game against Las Palmas at the Santiago Bernabeu, Real Madrid have lost key defender David Alaba to an injury.
Close to the 40th-minute mark, Alaba went down on the ground clutching his leg and appeared to be in quite a bit of discomfort.
Soon enough, the medical staff arrived to take a look at the Austrian and seconds later he was off the pitch and straight towards the tunnel.
Lucas Vazquez came on to replace the injured Alaba, with Nacho Fernandez moving into the centre-back position alongside Antonio Rudiger.
Alaba’s injury leaves Carlo Ancelotti with just two fit centre-backs in Rudiger and Nacho, which is set to be a matter of great concern.
The hope will be that Alaba’s condition is nothing serious and that he is able to mount a quick recovery.
