Real Madrid News
Barcelona establish contact with Real Madrid priority target to learn financial demands
After being dealt with a series of injury blows, Real Madrid are serious about reinforcing their ranks in the full-back department in the summer of 2025.
The club have been closely linked with moves for two full-backs, in the form of Alphonso Davies and Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Davies, in particular, has garnered a lot of attention lately, with Real Madrid in talks to try and convince the player to make the move to Santiago Bernabeu.
Barcelona make contact with Davies
However, Real Madrid could face fresh competition from Barcelona, in the race to sign Davies this summer. This comes just days after Manchester United, too, joined the race.
According to Diario SPORT, Barça have contacted Davies to express their interest in signing the Canadian international on a free transfer next summer.
Davies has lofty demands
In light of Barça’s ongoing economic woes, the club believe Davies could be an ideal signing despite the player potentially seeking a signing bonus in excess of €10 million.
Despite the fresh links to Barcelona, Davies is still pretty much in Real Madrid’s hands, with reports of a potential agreement until 2030.
However, the left-back has not signed a deal just yet and remains open to other offers, as we approach the January transfer window, where he will be eligible to sign a pre-contract agreement.
The Canadian international, for his part, has high salary demands which may weigh on Barcelona’s finances.
Indeed, Davies is looking for a ‘crack salary’ that would easily fit into the upper end of Barcelona’s budget, potentially making him one of the highest-paid players in the team.
While the Catalans are expected to sanction the sale of a few players in order to get this deal done, acquiring his services could still be a difficult task, especially with Real Madrid more than willing to close the deal as soon as possible.
Real Madrid are set to kick off their Champions League campaign on Tuesday when they host Inter Milan at the Bernabeu.
Jose Mourinho’s side will be looking to bounce back after suffering their first defeat of the season, a 1-0 loss to Real Betis last time out.
And ahead of the crucial European opener, the Portuguese has received a timely boost, with Thiago Pitarch and Endrick both in contention to feature.
Pitarch and Endrick back in training
According to Arancha Rodriguez, Pitarch and Endrick returned to full group training on Sunday, alongside Aurelien Tchouameni, in the final session before the Inter clash. Both are now in contention to make the squad vs Inter.
All three had been sidelined by injury, with Pitarch having suffered a torn medial collateral ligament during pre-season and Endrick nursing a muscular problem.
Their return to team training is a welcome development for Mourinho, even if none of the trio are likely to start given they missed more than a month of preparation.
Of the group, Pitarch and Endrick are reported to have the best chance of making the matchday squad, with the pair now working to sharpen their fitness in the coming days.
Why Pitarch could prove crucial
Pitarch’s potential availability is particularly significant given Mourinho’s threadbare midfield options for the Inter game.
Real Madrid will be without Eduardo Camavinga, Arda Guler and Bernardo Silva, all of whom are suspended, leaving the Portuguese short in the middle of the park.
With Tchouameni also only just returning from a groin issue, the young Spaniard could offer valuable depth in an area where Mourinho has few alternatives.
For Endrick, meanwhile, the game represents a chance to make his competitive debut under Mourinho and begin clawing back ground on Carlos Espi in the race for a bench role in attack.
While Mourinho will not want to rush any of his returning players, having Pitarch and Endrick back in the fold offers him some much-needed flexibility as Real Madrid look to make a statement in Europe.
