Real Madrid News
Chelsea, PSG interested in 21-year-old Real Madrid defensive prodigy – report
Rafa Marin’s future at Real Madrid is extremely uncertain and it was made evident by the fact that the towering defender was not named in the 25-man squad that will travel to the United States for the pre-season.
It has been reported in Spain that Real Betis are close to securing a loan move for the centre-half.
But if a recent report from Mundo Deportivo is to be believed, the likes of Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea are also chasing his signature.
The outlet went on to claim that Marin, who previously trained in the Sevilla youth academy, currently has several offers on the table and he is yet to make a decision.
The report goes on to claim that Villarreal are also among the suitors for the 21-year-old defensive prospect. The Yellow Submarine have lost Pau Torres this summer and are looking to sign a replacement this summer.
At 21 years of age, Marin needs to make a big decision. Of course, the teams approaching him have seen the obvious potential in his defensive capabilities.
At this stage, while he has trained with the senior team multiple times under Carlo Ancelotti, he is yet to make a first-team appearance and this could be a driving factor while deciding his future.
At present, a move to Betis seems extremely likely. Real Madrid are still in negotiations with their fellow La Liga side over Marin’s temporary departure. The idea is that the 21-year-old will first sign a new contract with Real Madrid since his current deal expires in 2024, and will then move to Betis on a season-long loan.
Interestingly enough, Manuel Pellegrini’s side are also pushing for an option to buy the defender at the end of his loan tenure. So there are several such details that need to be sorted out. At the same time, however, one cannot dismiss the interest from the likes of PSG and Chelsea.
Bernardo Silva was one of Real Madrid’s headline signings last summer. The Portuguese midfielder arrived on a free transfer from Manchester City and appeared destined to become the creative successor to Toni Kroos and Luka Modric in the middle of the park.
Indeed, with the club having not signed a new central midfielder, many within Real Madrid saw the veteran star as a solution to the issue.
Manager Jose Mourinho made him a starter from the very beginning in pre-season, but not in his usual role on the right. Instead, he deployed his compatriot as a deep-lying playmaker in the midfield double pivot.
A change in circumstances
Silva failed to have the expected influence when operating in a deeper role in midfield in the chances he got.
Combined with the emergence of Arda Guler and Aurelien Tchouameni’s return to fitness, the Portuguese international has now lost his place in the starting line-up and dropped to the bench.
Bernardo’s situation became particularly striking against Villarreal this past Saturday at the Santiago Bernabeu, when he did not play a single minute.
Limited opportunities under Mourinho
Bernardo has played six matches for Real Madrid, starting three and coming on as a substitute in another three.
He did not feature against Villarreal or Elche, while his only appearance in the last three matches was a little over 10 minutes against Atletico Madrid. He was not used regularly by the Portugal national team during the international break either.
Across Real Madrid’s eight La Liga fixtures, Silva has accumulated just 282 minutes of playing time.
The Champions League now presents another opportunity for the former Manchester City captain, who has yet to make his European debut for Real Madrid this season.
He missed the match against Inter Milan because he was still serving a suspension carried over from his time at the Etihad Stadium last season.
It remains to be seen whether Mourinho will give him an opportunity against AS Roma in the coming week.
For now, the midfielder’s reduced playing time suggests that the Portuguese coach has lost some of his faith in a player who arrived with high expectations after leaving Manchester City.
