Real Madrid News
Here we go – French defender set to join Real Madrid on a free transfer this summer
Real Madrid have done a superb job of accelerating their operations in the transfer market this summer, despite the prospect of the upcoming presidential elections.
The Spanish giants have been primarily chasing two defenders in Ibrahima Konate and Denzel Dumfries. Both have been signed, according to Fabrizio Romano and it was reported last night that Dumfries was going to arrive in Madrid to complete his medical.
Romano has already given his customary ‘here we go’ for the Dumfries deal.
Ibrahima Konate – here we go
Now, Romano has given his ‘here we go’ for the Konate deal as well, confirming that the French defender will indeed sign for Real Madrid heading into the next season.
The former RB Leipzig defender has signed a four-year contract with Los Blancos, same as Dumfries. Both players are expected to join the Madrid camp soon.
Romano adds that Konate and Dumfries’ move will be made by official only after the presidential election, where Florentino Perez will be taking on Enrique Riquelme.
Perez, though, is the undisputed favourite and has already ratified these two signings.
How will Konate and Dumfries fit into Real Madrid?
Konate and Dumfries are not absolute world class talents who can become the X-factor overnight. But they are gritty players who will add valuable depth to Real Madrid’s defensive unit.
Konate can add some much-needed competition for the centre-backs Dean Huijsen, Antonio Rudiger and Eder Militao.
Meanwhile, Dumfries is likely to operate as the main left-back for Real Madrid next season, as new coach Jose Mourinho is reportedly not too impressed with Alvaro Carreras.
For Real Madrid, it is a net win as the club will be able to announce both deals before the World Cup – something the team wanted desperately.
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.
