Real Madrid News
Liverpool leading Real Madrid, Man City in race for €150 million England international
With the race for Borussia Dortmund midfield sensation Jude Bellingham heating up by the day, SPORT1 journalist Patrick Berger (via The Redmen TV) has issued a huge update on the battle for his signing.
According to the German journalist, Liverpool are currently in pole position to sign Bellingham, leaving behind Real Madrid and Manchester City in the race.
The 19-year-old midfielder is easily the most sought-after player heading into the summer transfer window. Real Madrid and Liverpool have been working behind the scenes for his signing for a long time now, while Manchester City are also in the equation.
Recent reports even suggested that Chelsea are also considering throwing their hat in the ring for the England international.
But, as things stand, it seems like Liverpool are leading the race for the signing of the former Birmingham City ace.
It will come as a blow for Real Madrid, as they had identified Bellingham as one of their priorities for the summer.
With Luka Modric and Toni Kroos in the final phase of their respective careers, Los Blancos see Bellingham as the ideal signing to take over from the veteran pair and form the midfield unit for the future along with the likes of Fede Valverde, Aurelien Tchouameni and Eduardo Camavinga.
However, recent reports suggested that Real Madrid were having doubts about the transfer as they are not in a position to match the Premier League clubs when it comes to the financial aspect.
Borussia Dortmund, for their part, are hoping to keep the midfielder at Signal Iduna Park and are even considering making a bumper contract offer worth €15 million per year for him.
If they fail to agree a new deal with the 19-year-old, the Black and Yellows will demand a sum of €150 million for their prized asset, which Real Madrid are unwilling to pay.
It might give Liverpool an edge, although the Reds could miss out on Champions League football next season, which might leave the door open for the Merengues.
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.
