Real Madrid News
Confirmed: Real Madrid’s Mbappe and Guler start as France take on Turkiye
The UEFA Nations League is underway in Europe and a number of Real Madrid players on international duty will be involved in the competition over the course of the three-week international break.
Tonight sees France, under new manager Zinedine Zidane, take on Turkiye in the Nations League, pitting two Real Madrid stars against each other.
Indeed, with both national teams announcing their lineups, Kylian Mbappe starts for France in Zidane’s first-ever game in charge, while Arda Guler takes the field for Turkiye.
Le 11 Bleus choisis par Zinédine Zidane pour débuter notre phase de groupe de Ligue des Nations 💙🔥
— Equipe de France ⭐⭐ (@equipedefrance) September 25, 2026
🇹🇷🇫🇷 #TURFRA pic.twitter.com/mPNIs2rtsQ
Mbappe is the captain of Les Bleus and will be hoping to kickstart the team’s Nations League campaign on a strong note with a victory.
Eduardo Camavinga, who is also in the France squad under Zidane, only features on the bench. Aurelien Tchouameni was not called up while Ibrahima Konate had to return home due to a knee sprain.
As for Turkiye, Guler is an integral player, with his creativity and eye for goal set to be important if they are to stand a chance against Mbappe & co.
A Millî Takımımızın, Fransa karşısında sahaya çıkacak 11’i belli oldu. 🇹🇷
— Türkiye #BizimÇocuklar 🇹🇷 (@MilliTakimlar) September 25, 2026
#BizimÇocuklar🇹🇷 | #NationsLeague | #UNL | #TURFRA | @TK_TR
11’imiz: Uğurcan Çakır, Zeki Çelik, Merih Demiral, Salih Özcan, Arda Güler, Can Uzun, Abdülkerim Bardakcı, İsmail Yüksek, Oğuz Aydın, Ferdi… pic.twitter.com/qbrGPf7IVI
The young midfielder has made a good start to the season at Real Madrid and will be hoping to carry that form forward on the international level as well.
Real Madrid News
Chelsea, Liverpool ready to move for Real Madrid midfield target in January – report
Real Madrid are keeping a close eye on Alex Scott’s situation. The AFC Bournemouth midfielder has been impressing in the Premier League and recently made his debut for the England national team.
Given their need for a midfield reinforcement, Real Madrid are tracking the youngster as the Spanish giants believe he could provide a different profile to complement their existing options.
Chelsea, Liverpool ready to move in January
According to TEAMtalk (h/t Bernabeu Digital), Real Madrid intend to continue monitoring Scott throughout the season before deciding whether to make a move in next summer’s transfer window.
However, they could face competition from the Premier League, with Liverpool and Chelsea also tracking the 23-year-old.
Both Premier League clubs are preparing substantial offers for Scott ahead of the January transfer window.
Bournemouth have placed an €80 million valuation on the midfielder, although the club have no intention of selling him in January and would prefer to consider a departure next summer.
The Cherries are already looking at potential replacements and have identified Fer Lopez as a long-term successor.
Real Madrid prepared to wait until the summer
Real Madrid are already planning their recruitment strategy for next summer, monitoring several players before deciding which targets to pursue when the transfer window opens.
For now, the Merengues are not expected to make a move for Scott in January. Instead, they intend to continue assessing his performances and availability over the coming months.
If the Bournemouth midfielder becomes available from June onwards, the Spanish capital giants will then decide whether to make a formal approach.
Their preference to wait could leave the door open for Liverpool and Chelsea to move first, particularly if either club are prepared to meet Bournemouth’s valuation during the winter window.
In the meantime, Jose Mourinho & co. are also keeping an eye on other options to strengthen their midfield. In fact, recent reports suggest that an enquiry has been made for Napoli star Scott McTominay.
The Scotsman contract with the Serie A side expires in 2028 and with his club not offering a renewal so far, he could emerge as a serious option.
