Real Madrid News
Manchester City confident Real Madrid target will sign a new contract at club
Real Madrid have already confirmed the imminent arrival of Ibrahima Konate on a free transfer, but remain on the lookout for one more centre-back.
Manchester City mainstay Josko Gvardiol, in that regard, has emerged as a pivotal target for Los Blancos heading into the summer.
The Croatian international still has two years left on his contract at the Etihad Stadium, but it has been suggested that he is willing to leave the club for Real Madrid after Pep Guardiola’s exit.
Manchester City believe Gvardiol will stay
However, according to Simon Bajkowski of Manchester Evening News, Manchester City expect Gvardiol to stay put at the club this summer.
In fact, there is confidence within the club that the 25-year-old defender will sign a new contract with the club even if more negotiations are needed to close an agreement.
Only thing that can change the situation is if the player himself asks to leave and Manchester City receive an astronomical offer for him, which, as things stand, they see as extremely unlikely.
What does this mean for Real Madrid?
Real Madrid, for their part, see Gvardiol as the perfect target for their needs, given that he is a left-footed centre-back who can also play on the left-back position whenever needed.
As such, they are prepared to go all out for him as long as Manchester City do not hold out for a huge transfer fee. But given the Premier League giants’ current stance they are likely to ask for an enormous amount of money to dissuade any and all suitors.
It makes the possibility of a transfer difficult, forcing Real Madrid to look at other alternatives in the market.
The story of Manchester United’s young talent JJ Gabriel has been one of the major talking points in the Spanish media in recent weeks, as the player is seen as one of the most promising talents in the sport.
Having made his decision to leave Manchester United at just 15 years of age, Gabriel has sparked interest from Barcelona and Real Madrid as his primary destinations. Bayern Munich also remain alert to the operation.
Earlier this week, it was reported that Barcelona were growing as an option and taking charge of the race, but Real Madrid also remain committed to the objective as reported by Diario AS.
A complicated deal
As confirmed by the Spanish outlet, signing Gabriel requires several bureaucratic clarifications given the player’s age and England’s rules on teenage transfers.
Real Madrid are thus studying the potential operation and the risks it could involve in detail and have been in contact with Manchester United to inform them of what is happening with the player.
The reason for the complication is straightforward – Gabriel still does not have a professional contract with Manchester United. That makes his departure easy, but his age makes matters ambiguous.
Since the United Kingdom left the European Union, FIFA regulations do not permit UK-based players to leave the country before the age of 18.
Ireland, however, is where the player’s roots are, and the nation is outside the UK’s economic and labour relationship with the rest of Europe. How his situation will be interpreted, thus, remains a gray area.
Looking for clarity
Real Madrid, for their part, are looking to make sure they are absolutely certain about the interpretation of rules before they go all out to sign the youngster.
As per the European Union, players are free to move after the age of 16 – a number Gabriel will cross in October.
There is, thus, a strong likelihood that the player’s Irish heritage will permit a transfer, and all eyes will be on Real Madrid’s pre-transfer diligence to see if they eventually push for the move.
