Real Madrid News
Benfica adopt new tactic to force Real Madrid into improving Carreras bid
According to MARCA, the transfer saga involving Alvaro Carreras is nearing its conclusion, but not without a final twist.
Benfica have decided to turn up the pressure on Real Madrid by forcing the full-back to join their pre-season trip to the United States this Sunday.
It is a move that is meant to unsettle Madrid and speed up a final agreement over the transfer fee.
Negotiations between the two clubs are at an advanced stage, but the deal has hit a wall over the financial terms. Real Madrid have been trying to negotiate a fee below the full release clause, but Benfica are standing firm.
In fact, the Portuguese side has reportedly made it clear that they will not budge on the price.
The only area they are showing flexibility in is allowing negotiations to continue while Carreras travels with the team.
Madrid await the right moment
Despite the pressure tactics from Benfica, Real Madrid are not panicking. The Spanish giants believe the deal will eventually go through, even if it takes a little longer than expected.
Their focus is on securing the left-back in time for the Club World Cup, and for that, they are confident the paperwork will be done within the appropriate window.
For his part, Carreras has handled the situation with professionalism. The 22-year-old had hoped to complete the transfer last week, avoiding a return to Benfica’s training sessions.
However, due to Benfica’s inflexibility, he resumed training last Tuesday and is now set to travel to the United States with the squad, all while remaining fully committed to the process and reiterating his desire to join Real Madrid.
This last-minute chess move by Benfica is unlikely to derail the operation. Real Madrid are prepared to wait a little longer, trusting that Carreras will soon return home, ready to play a role in what could be a historic season.
After a month into the new season, Aurelien Tchouameni is finally back in action for Real Madrid.
The Frenchman made his first appearance of the season for the Merengues last night against Inter Milan after recovering from the muscular injury that delayed his campaign.
His return to fitness had raised questions over where he would fit into Mourinho’s plans.
Tchouameni has been a regular in Real Madrid’s midfield for several seasons under different managers, but the end of last season was far less straightforward.
His confrontation with Federico Valverde, combined with speculation over his future at the club, created uncertainty about his position. His lack of a proper pre-season also appeared to put him behind other midfield options.
Bernardo Silva had established himself as an important figure, while Eduardo Camavinga was also ahead of Tchouameni in terms of match fitness.
With Real Madrid looking for greater creativity in midfield, there were questions over whether the Frenchman would still be a first-choice player.
Key for Mourinho
According to AS (h/t Bernabeu Digital), however, Mourinho has no such doubts. Tchouameni remains a key player for the Portuguese coach and is expected to be a starter.
Mourinho sees the French international as a midfielder without a direct replacement in the squad.
For Jose, Tchouameni provides something that none of the other midfielders in the squad do – a more defensive and positional presence, combining his tactical discipline with considerable physical strength.
His ability to shield the defence and provide balance could be particularly important for a Real Madrid side that want to defend aggressively and attack quickly in transition.
For that reason, his absence at the start of the campaign has not changed the manager’s view of his importance.
Mourinho faces a midfield selection problem
The challenge for Mourinho now is finding a way to fit all the pieces together.
If Tchouameni is guaranteed a starting position and Valverde is considered untouchable as captain, the obvious consequence is that Bernardo could find himself starting from the bench.
The summer arrival had been given an important role in helping Real Madrid control and distribute possession from deeper positions.
However, with Tchouameni and Valverde both occupying midfield places, Mourinho cannot accommodate everyone in the same lineup.
How the Portuguese coach manages that competition will be interesting to see in the coming weeks.
