Real Madrid News
Real Madrid held concrete talks with 23-year-old forward before €75m Arsenal move
Chelsea have been at the centre of the transfer market this summer. Not long ago, the Blues were in the headlines for making signing after signing, and this time around, they find themselves on a selling spree.
One of their biggest player departures so far this summer has been that of Kai Havertz. The youngster made a €75 million move to Arsenal (including add-ons), but it is no secret that Real Madrid were in pole position to sign him less than a month ago.
According to reports from Jorge C Picon, Los Blancos had a concrete interest in the German’s signing. In fact, Carlo Ancelotti approved of his arrival and Juni Calafat had been tracking his profile for close to three years.
Concrete meetings were held at the Valdebebas over Havertz’s arrival, and the club even discussed topics including his integration into the setup and the language barrier amongst others. The only roadblock, however, was Chelsea’s asking price.
Given Chelsea’s urgent need to sell players, Real Madrid were confident that they could milk out a better deal as the window progressed and the London-based side came under pressure. However, Arsenal’s entry changed the entire picture.
Mikel Arteta’s project really appealed to the player, and given his firm desire to leave Chelsea this summer, he reciprocated the interest. Real Madrid’s silence only fuelled talks with the Gunners and the result was a move to the Arsenal.
The German international, however, did not give up hope on Real Madrid until the very end. The report adds that there was a call between the club and Havertz’s entourage when the deal with Arsenal was close to complete where the Merengues once again enquired about the fee. However, it did not fit their budget.
As it stands, the men in white are waiting on a response from Kylian Mbappe over a potential move. Not much is known about their communication with other potential targets to reinforce the forward line.
Journalist Arancha Rodriguez has claimed that Real Madrid forward Brahim Diaz played the Las Palmas game with a dislocation in his right shoulder, which actually happened last Sunday during the derby match against Atletico Madrid.
The news was later confirmed by the forward’s father, Sufiel Abdekalder, who told The Athletic, “Yes [he had dislocated shoulder], but we didn’t want it to be public. Our 100% focus was on the match.”
The former AC Milan loanee started his first game of the season and it was his goal that marked the beginning of Real Madrid’s 2-0 win over Las Palmas.
The 24-year-old was later replaced in the 57th minute but by then, the Los Blancos had already established a two-goal lead.
“I’m so proud, you can’t describe the feeling, it’s something unique. I can only thank the fans because I’ve had an incredible welcome. I’m very happy to be here and play for this badge,” the forward said after the game.
Special outing for Diaz
The Las Palmas game was the first time that Diaz started a game for Real Madrid.
The versatile attacking midfielder found himself among the five alterations made by Carlo Ancelotti following the disheartening derby performance against Atletico Madrid last Sunday, a game where Diaz was only introduced in the 70th minute.
The 24-year-old seized the opportunity with both hands, scoring the opening goal in what was a comfortable outing for the team.
Given the competition at hand, Diaz has been forced to settle for substitute appearances this season but fans have witnessed his unwavering dedication during this time.
The love he received from the Madrid supporters was shown when he was substituted during the second half.
While it is unlikely that his run in the first-team will continue, especially since Vinicius Jr. has now returned, the 24-year-old must continue to keep his head on the ground and work towards achieving the common goal this season.
