Real Madrid News
Real Madrid considering summer move for Tottenham ace as Casemiro replacement
Casemiro’s move to Manchester United isofficial official at this point. Carlo Ancelotti, speaking during his pre-game presser, stated that the Brazilian was looking for a new challenge.
Real Madrid, out of respect, are open to the midfielder leaving, even if that means cutting back their squad. Ancelotti, for one, is happy with the options he has right now.
“Our midfielders now are Modrić, Kroos, Tchouameni, Valverde, Camavinga and Ceballos. 6 midfielders are enough for this season. They’re very very good,” he said.
Despite that, Telegraph claims Real Madrid are considering a move for Tottenham Hotspur midfield ace Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, . Ancelotti is said to be a fan of the player, and tried to recruit him for Everton during his sting at Goodison Park.
The move will not be easy, though. The Danish international signed in 2020 on a five-year deal, and has three seasons left on his contract. He is also a key player for Antonio Conte, and will not allow the departure.
Further, Tottenham, led by Chairperson Daniel Levy, are tough negotiators. They have, in the recent past, sold two superstars to Madrid – Luka Modric and Gareth Bale -, for a combined total of around €140 million.
Rodrigo Bentancur and Yves Bissouma in the last six months, though, has increased competition for Hojbjerg. Oliver Skipp, too, had a bright start to last season, and is working his way into full fitness.
Even if Tottenham end up accepting an offer for the Danish midfielder, he will have to weigh up whether a move is the best option for him with the World Cup looming large.
It is said that Casemiro definitely considered it to be, especially after he was benched for Tchouameni against UD Almeria last weekend.
Hojbjerg was on target for Tottenham against Chelsea last weekend as the London derby called curtains at 2-2.
Real Madrid’s adventure so far under new coach Jose Mourinho has been far from perfect and this fact shouldn’t be lost even after the team’s brilliant comeback win over AS Roma in midweek.
However, there are areas where Los Blancos have shown a clear improvement under Mourinho, when compared to previous bosses such as Xabi Alonso and Alvaro Arbeloa.
One of those areas has been set plays, with Real Madrid appearing far more potent from set pieces this season.
A clear improvement from last season
As reported by Diario AS, the three goals in Rome, all from Arda Guler corners inside a seven-minute blitz, were the perfect advert for the work being done at Valdebebas.
Those strikes took Real Madrid’s set-piece tally to seven goals in just ten matches this season. Four of them have come in La Liga, one from a corner and three from free kicks, with the trio in Rome completing the haul.
It is a striking figure when set against last season’s return. Under Alonso and Arbeloa, Madrid managed 12 set-piece goals across the entire campaign, all in La Liga, split evenly between six from corners and six from free kicks.
On current trends, this side looks well placed to surpass that number comfortably.
The reason behind Real Madrid’s improvement
Attacking set pieces are led at Valdebebas by Pedro Machado, with the whole coaching staff involved and Mourinho himself giving the final green light on every routine.
Defending them, meanwhile, falls to Sami Khedira, though it is treated as a collective effort. Mourinho’s appreciation of that teamwork was clear when Bellingham headed in a Guler free kick against Espanyol, prompting the manager to leap up and embrace his assistants.
Machado, one of Mourinho’s most trusted lieutenants, has followed him from Fenerbahce to Benfica and now Madrid, part of a backroom team blending experience with young, ambitious talent.
On the pitch, Guler is the undisputed master when available, his left foot the key weapon, with Bernardo Silva, Trent Alexander-Arnold and even Diomande also trusted to initiate attacks.
Such meticulous strategy has helped Real Madrid turn into a potent side from set-pieces this season.
