Real Madrid News
Fulham open talks for Real Madrid forward as Mourinho leaves final decision to the player
Gonzalo Garcia’s future at Real Madrid has taken a significant twist, with Premier League side Fulham emerging as serious contenders to sign the highly-rated academy striker before the transfer window closes.
The young forward impressed during pre-season training after Jose Mourinho took a closer look at his qualities, raising hopes that he could remain at the Santiago Bernabeu for the new campaign.
However, circumstances within the squad have changed, and a permanent path to regular first-team football now appears far less straightforward.
According to journalist Mario Cortegana in The Athletic, Fulham are in active discussions to sign the Real Madrid academy graduate, while Los Blancos are expected to protect their long-term interests should a deal go through.
Fulham pushing to sign Gonzalo Garcia
Fulham have stepped up their pursuit of the Real Madrid forward as they look to strengthen their attacking options, with former Real Madrid manager Alvaro Arbeloa playing a role in the move.
Notably, it is said that the striker has attracted interest from several clubs across Europe in recent months following his impressive development, but the Premier League side now appear to be leading the race for his signature.
As such, Real Madrid are willing to sanction a transfer, although they are expected to include preferential rights in any agreement.
Such a clause would allow the Spanish giants to retain a degree of control over Garcia’s future should he continue his development elsewhere.
Mourinho cannot promise regular minutes
The aforementioned outlet reports that Mourinho was keen to assess Garcia personally after taking charge of Real Madrid.
The Portuguese coach was impressed by what he saw from the academy forward during pre-season, but the current squad situation has made it difficult to guarantee the youngster a prominent role next season.
The return of Endrick and the club’s decision to keep the Brazilian have significantly increased competition in attack, reducing Garcia’s chances of consistent first-team football.
Rather than forcing the player towards the exit, Mourinho has left the decision entirely in Garcia’s hands, allowing him to choose whether to remain at the Santiago Bernabeu or pursue regular football elsewhere.
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.
