Real Madrid News
Mourinho to assess Real Madrid academy prospect during pre-season amid Premier League interest
Cesar Palacios is widely regarded as one of Real Madrid’s brightest prospects. A regular for Castilla, the 21-year-old attacking midfielder made his first-team debut last season under Alvaro Arbeloa.
However, coming into the summer, the young La Fabrica prospect is looking at an uncertain future, with Arbeloa being replaced by Jose Mourinho as the new manager.
Palacios to do pre-season with first team
Now, according to AS, Palacios will take part in pre-season with Mourinho’s first team, hoping to convince the Portuguese coach that he deserves a place in the senior squad.
A return to Castilla is no longer considered part of the plan, and with Dani Ceballos departing and Real Madrid ruling out Nico Paz’s return, the academy graduate believes there is a genuine opportunity to earn a role in the first team.
This comes after the 21-year-old has changed representation at a pivotal moment in his career. The attacking midfielder has left Stellar Group to join Best of You as he prepares for what could be a decisive summer regarding his future.
With just one year remaining on his contract, Palacios is determined to fight for his place in Real Madrid before considering a move elsewhere.
Premier League interest growing
Real Madrid continue to view Palacios as one of the club’s most promising academy graduates.
If he ultimately leaves in search of regular football, the club intend to structure any deal in a way that preserves long-term control over his future, similar to arrangements previously used for players such as Victor Munoz and Nico Paz.
The midfielder has attracted interest from clubs across Europe’s five major leagues. Athletic Club have been monitoring him for months, while several Premier League sides have already submitted attractive proposals.
One possible destination abroad is Fulham, where Arbeloa is beginning his new project. Meanwhile, Como are also showing an interest.
However, according to sources close to the player, Palacios remains focused solely on impressing Mourinho before considering any move away.
Compared to Luka Modric
Palacios earned his opportunity with the senior squad under Arbeloa, who handed him five league appearances, one Copa del Rey match and one UEFA Champions League outing.
Within Valdebebas, coaches have long praised his technical quality, saying: “The way he turns with the ball reminds us of Modric.”
His versatility is considered one of his greatest strengths. Naturally an attacking midfielder, Palacios is equally comfortable operating as a deeper No. 8 and has even been deployed as a centre-forward and on the wings on occasion thanks to his eye for goal.
Now, with new representation and a crucial preseason ahead, Palacios enters a defining chapter of his career as he looks to prove he belongs at Real Madrid under Mourinho.
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.
