Real Madrid News
Real Madrid could revive interest in Liverpool defender on one condition – report
With three months left before the season concludes, Real Madrid have already preparing for the summer of 2026.
The club are poised for a busy summer, with the board keen on bringing in defensive reinforcements, as they look to find long-term replacements for the likes of Antonio Rudiger and David Alaba.
Real Madrid have tried their luck with multiple defensive targets in the recent past, including Ibrahima Konate, Dayot Upamecano and Marc Guehi. But none of them worked out.
Konate could become an option again
However, there is a possibility that Real Madrid may start to consider the option of signing Konate once again.
According to ESPN, the Frenchman could once again become an option for Los Blancos, but it is contingent upon the defender’s salary demands.
Earlier, talks broke down as the Frenchman’s salary demands were seen as too steep. There were also murmurs that Konate was just using Real Madrid to get a better deal out of Liverpool.
However, with the defender not having the best of seasons, his leverage has come down significantly, potentially paving the way for Real Madrid to sign him at a lower salary package.
Indeed, Konate, despite remaining a key component in Liverpool’s defence, has not been the same this season. Real Madrid, though, remain interest, provided the defender lowers his demands.
This is not an if but a must for Real Madrid, who are not willing to stoop to the defender’s previous salary demands.
In case Konate continues to demand a high salary, Real Madrid always have other options in the market, with chief scout Juni Calafat notably monitoring the progress of two Bundesliga defenders in Nico Schlotterbeck and Castello Lukeba.
Real Madrid News
Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr. admits finishing problem after another frustrating night vs Elche: ‘Can’t miss that much’
Vinicius Jr.’s difficult start in front of goal continued against Elche, and the Real Madrid forward did not need anyone to tell him he had missed another chance to make the difference.
The Brazilian finished the night without a goal despite having chances to get on the scoresheet, while his teammates could only watch from the bench as opportunities went begging.
Jose Mourinho had already identified the problem before kick-off, bluntly pointing to the issue facing his forward, stating, “He’s missing the goal.”
Vini offered an equally frank assessment afterwards.
Rather than hide from another frustrating evening, he accepted responsibility on social media: “The goals will come back; I can’t miss that much…”
Two chances, no finish for Vinicius
Vinicius had two particularly clear openings against Elche, but neither produced the finish Real Madrid needed from their star forward.
The first arrived when he found himself one-on-one with the opposition goalkeeper.
Instead of finding the net, Vinicius caught the ball with the tip of his foot and sent his effort wide. Arda Guler was available during the move and called for the ball, but Vini backed himself to finish the chance.
He had another opportunity after the interval, this time following an excellent pass from Guler during a quick Real Madrid transition. Again, though, Vinicius could not find the target.
His evening ended in the 68th minute, with Mourinho deciding the Brazilian was tired and turning his attention towards Sunday’s Atletico Madrid derby.
Mourinho has a bigger decision to make
The numbers show why Vinicius’ finishing has become a talking point. He managed five shots against Elche, but only one was on target and none found the net.
After seven appearances this season, the Brazilian has scored just once, which is a striking return for a player Real Madrid rely upon to provide a major share of their attacking threat.
Ultimately, though, Real Madrid found another route to victory, with Arda Guler, Kylian Mbappe and Carlos Espi providing the goals in the 3-2 comeback.
