Real Madrid News
Multiple clubs interested in poaching Real Madrid chief scout – report
Following a few difficult years after the departure of star player Cristiano Ronaldo, Real Madrid have bounced back brilliantly. They have recalibrated their squad around young players and look ready to take Europe by storm in the years to come.
One of the reasons behind their success has been the top-notch scouting network that has been able to unearth talents such as Federico Valverde, Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo, among many others.
Real Madrid’s scouting network has been led by Juni Calafat. The 50-year-old Brazilian is the mastermind behind the club’s capture of players such as Vinicius, Rodrygo and most recently, Endrick, who joined from Palmeiras in a lucrative deal.
Calafat’s strong network, especially in his native Brazil, has helped Real Madrid build a strong base in South America. It is one of the reasons why many of the current first-team stars stem from the same continent.
To that end, a recent report from ESPN has revealed that there are a few clubs that have reached out to Juni Calafat, in light of his resounding success at Real Madrid. They have attempted to lure him away from Santiago Bernabeu.
Calafat, though, has no plans to leave Real Madrid, a club he joined in 2014. The 50-year-old feels comfortable in the Spanish capital and avoids any public appearance. He enjoys staying out of the limelight, as it grants him special advantages in the world of scouting.
And despite the apparent interest from other clubs, it appears Calafat is keen on continuing his mission at Real Madrid and helping the Whites unearth more talents in the years to come.
Juni Calafat had recently made a rare public appearance when he travelled to Dubai to receive the Scout of the Year prize at the Globe Soccer Awards.
Real Madrid News
Real Madrid the most likely destination for Kylian Mbappe with Liverpool not pushing for transfer
Journalist Florian Plettenberg has affirmed that despite Liverpool’s continued interest, Real Madrid remain the most realistic destination for Kylian Mbappe either for next year or the year after that.
As far as PSG are concerned, the Ligue 1 champions are totally relaxed over the drama as they are now financially secure for his possible departure. Nonetheless, Liverpool are not at all pushing for the player which leaves Real Madrid as the only team as suitors.
Mbappe has declined an extension offer from PSG, as his current deal is set to expire in 2024 and the 24-year-old forward seems poised to determine his future destination sooner rather than later.
As for Real Madrid, while they have denied holding any talks with the 2018 FIFA World Cup winner, the interest in him has always been there as he remains one of the club’s main targets for 2024.
One last attempt for Mbappe?
Real Madrid have been chasing Mbappe since 2021 and while there have been instances when he almost joined, the move has always failed to materialise for some reason.
Last year, he ended up signing a new contract and this year, as he looked certain to leave PSG, a sudden change of heart saw him stay put. Now, there are going to be some repercussions of his continued ignorance.
These repercussions Mbappe will experience if rejects Madrid once again as it is said that the team from the Spanish capital is fed up with playing this game and if the move fails next summer, the door for Mbappe will be closed forever.
On the contrary, Plettenberg reports that it is not a matter of if for Mbappe, but a matter of when.
So even if they somehow miss out on his acquisition this summer, they will be able to sign him in 2025 as they are currently the only team running for his signature.
