Real Madrid News
Real Madrid plot raid for €70 million-rated Tottenham defensive mainstay – report
The summer of 2026 will see Real Madrid invest on the signing of at least one new central defender.
David Alaba’s contract expires at the end of the season and is unlikely to be renewed. Antonio Rudiger also finds himself in a similar situation, and given his recent injury woes, it will not be a surprise to see Los Blancos opt to move on from the German as well.
So, at least one quality defender will be needed in the summer. Names like Dayot Upamecano and Ibrahima Konate were discussed, due to their potential availability for free, but have since been ruled out.
Cristian Romero on Real Madrid’s agenda
Instead, according to Defensa Central, Real Madrid plan to go after the signing of Tottenham Hotspur defensive leader Cristian ‘Cuti’ Romero.
The Merengues want to add character to the heart of their defence and are considering an offer for Argentine international, who won the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
The view within the club is that leaders are needed in the dressing room, players with strong personality, and Romero is seen as someone who could bring that edge to Real Madrid.
The 27-year-old defender has been one of the best-performing players in his position in the Premier League for some time now.
Real Madrid have had their eyes on Romero for a few years and believe that a move for him could be feasible, with a price tag of around €70 million being mentioned in the report.
Moreover, Los Blancos are of the belief that the Argentine international’s wages will also be much more reasonable than players like Upamecano, who has still not reached an agreement over a new contract with Bayern Munich.
As per the report, Romero has the approval of chief scout Juni Calafat and is one of the defenders most admired by Florentino Perez and Jose Angel Sanchez. His signing is seen as a strong possibility.
Real Madrid’s adventure so far under new coach Jose Mourinho has been far from perfect and this fact shouldn’t be lost even after the team’s brilliant comeback win over AS Roma in midweek.
However, there are areas where Los Blancos have shown a clear improvement under Mourinho, when compared to previous bosses such as Xabi Alonso and Alvaro Arbeloa.
One of those areas has been set plays, with Real Madrid appearing far more potent from set pieces this season.
A clear improvement from last season
As reported by Diario AS, the three goals in Rome, all from Arda Guler corners inside a seven-minute blitz, were the perfect advert for the work being done at Valdebebas.
Those strikes took Real Madrid’s set-piece tally to seven goals in just ten matches this season. Four of them have come in La Liga, one from a corner and three from free kicks, with the trio in Rome completing the haul.
It is a striking figure when set against last season’s return. Under Alonso and Arbeloa, Madrid managed 12 set-piece goals across the entire campaign, all in La Liga, split evenly between six from corners and six from free kicks.
On current trends, this side looks well placed to surpass that number comfortably.
The reason behind Real Madrid’s improvement
Attacking set pieces are led at Valdebebas by Pedro Machado, with the whole coaching staff involved and Mourinho himself giving the final green light on every routine.
Defending them, meanwhile, falls to Sami Khedira, though it is treated as a collective effort. Mourinho’s appreciation of that teamwork was clear when Bellingham headed in a Guler free kick against Espanyol, prompting the manager to leap up and embrace his assistants.
Machado, one of Mourinho’s most trusted lieutenants, has followed him from Fenerbahce to Benfica and now Madrid, part of a backroom team blending experience with young, ambitious talent.
On the pitch, Guler is the undisputed master when available, his left foot the key weapon, with Bernardo Silva, Trent Alexander-Arnold and even Diomande also trusted to initiate attacks.
Such meticulous strategy has helped Real Madrid turn into a potent side from set-pieces this season.
