Real Madrid News
Out-of-favour Real Madrid defender wants to see out his contract at the club – report
Real Madrid have carried out several exit operations this summer as the club looks to dispose of deadwood.
One of the names constantly rumoured to be headed for the exit door this summer is Alvaro Odriozola.
Odriozola wants to leave as a free agent in 2024
Facing off against Almeria, Real Madrid left the Spanish defender out of the matchday squad. Reports claimed that it was due to an illness, although it was suggested that his exclusion could be intertwined with a potential sale this summer.
According to MARCA, however, Odriozola is set to stay in the Spanish capital and has no intentions of leaving Real Madrid for now.
The report subdues any doubts regarding the player’s continuity. It claims that the defender wants to stay at the club until his contract expires next year, at which point he can leave for free.
It has been determined that the full-back did not participate against Almeria since he has a viral illness that made him suffer from a headache and throw up.
Despite minimal faith from coach Carlo Ancelotti and significant competition ahead of him, with the likes of Dani Carvajal, Lucas Vazquez, and Nacho Fernandez all placed higher in the pecking order, Odriozola does not contemplate leaving.
The plan is for Odriozola to continue in Madrid until the conclusion of his contract on June 30, 2024, at which point he will be released.
The player was not persuaded to alter his objectives even after Real Sociedad entered the picture, the club from where he arrived in Madrid.
The Spaniard has struggled to make a case for himself ever since he arrived to play for the Merengues, with subpar loan spells at Bayern Munich and Fiorentina.
But for now, he wishes to stay put and see out the final year of his contract with Real Madrid.
Real Madrid will be looking to pick up their fifth win of the 2026/27 La Liga season when they take on Elche CF at Estadio Manuel Martinez Valero later tonight.
With 12 points from five games, Los Blancos are currently second in the league table, three points below leaders FC Barcelona.
As such, the Spanish capital club will be eager to get the win and close the gap to the top.
Guler starts, Bellingham rested
Ahead of kickoff, Real Madrid have announced the starting lineup that will take the field against Elche, with Jose Mourinho making some important changes.
For starters, Arda Guler is back in the lineup after appearing as a substitute in the win over Rayo Vallecano.
Interestingly, however, he starts in the attacking midfield role, with Mourinho opting to rest Jude Bellingham, who has started all of Real Madrid’s games so far.
That also means that Yan Diomande retains his place in the team, starting for a second time in a row on the right wing. Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr. continue in their respective positions in attack.
Another notable change sees Aurelien Tchouameni make his first start of the season after recovering from injury and making two appearances off the bench.
He replaces Bernardo Silva as Federico Valverde’s partner in the middle of the park.
Meanwhile, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Marc Cucurella come in as full-backs, while Ibrahima Konate and Dean Huijsen slot in at centre-back in front of goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.
📋✅ ¡Nuestro XI inicial!
— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadrid) September 15, 2026
🆚 @ElcheCF
👉 @UnicajaBanco pic.twitter.com/rHzZI1CQM7
