Real Madrid News
Real Madrid interested in Porto midfielder with €85 million release clause – report
Real Madrid have made as many as six signings this summer transfer window, but they could still focus on a few more additions in the final weeks.
It has been made very clear that the only way Los Blancos will be able to reinforce the team is if they make sales.
Should they manage to part ways with a few fringe players, Jose Mourinho’s preference would be to look at a new midfielder and a central defender.
Now, according to Ben Fernandes Santos, Los Blancos have shown serious interest in Porto midfielder Victor Froholdt, with Jose said to be a strong admirer.
Real Madrid are closely following the 20-year-old Dane and continue to assess whether a move is feasible before the end of the window.
Mourinho already knows and likes Froholdt
The most significant part of the interest is Mourinho’s approval.
Fernandes claims that the Real Madrid coach likes the player and had already spoken very highly of him last year, when he was at Benfica.
Back then, Mourinho was managing Porto’s rivals and could not have made a move for him even if he had wished to.
However, at Real Madrid, the manager could give Froholdt the perfect platform that his talent deserves at the biggest club in the world.
Porto protected by €85 million release clause
The elephant-sized obstacle is obvious.
Froholdt has an €85 million release clause in his Porto contract, which gives the Portuguese club a very strong negotiating position.
At 20, he represents the kind of investment Real Madrid usually like in theory: young, high-upside and potentially capable of developing into a major first-team player.
However, €85 million would still be a huge commitment for a midfielder who is not yet an established superstar.
That means Real Madrid would almost certainly need to be completely convinced before going anywhere close to that figure.
Midfield remains an area to watch
The interest perfectly aligns with Mourinho still wanting another midfielder despite the depth available in the squad.
Federico Valverde, Bernardo Silva, Aurelien Tchouameni, Eduardo Camavinga and Arda Guler give Real Madrid plenty of options, but the club continue to monitor the market.
Any further move may depend on departures first.
For now, Froholdt appears to be another serious name under consideration rather than a deal that is already moving towards completion.
A potential serious operation could be directly connected to a player like Camavinga, who is not having the greatest of times at the club.
The Frenchman did little to convince Mourinho to keep him during pre-season, and Los Blancos could put him up for sale in the coming weeks.
This would open the door for someone like Froholdt, and this is one story to keep an eye on in the coming days.
Real Madrid News
Real Madrid named the world’s most valuable and strongest football club brand for third consecutive year
As per Brand Finance, Real Madrid have retained their position as the world’s most valuable and strongest football club brand for the third consecutive year, with a valuation of €2.4 billion, an increase of 25% from the previous year.
Real Madrid lead not only in financial value but also in brand strength, scoring 95.8 out of 100, the highest figure among the 281 clubs analyzed.
The consultancy attributes Real Madrid’s position to their international reach, global fan base, history, star players and ability to turn sporting prestige into commercial appeal.
Barcelona a close second
The Merengues’ arch-rivals, FC Barcelona, remain in second place, with a brand value approaching €2 billion, with an increase of 15% according to Brand Finance’s Football 50 2026 report.
Brand Finance attributes part of that growth to Barcelona’s return to Spotify Camp Nou after more than two years and the club’s two consecutive La Liga titles.
Arsenal made the biggest leap among the leading clubs, climbing five places to third and reaching a brand value of €1.5 billion after a 28% increase.
Nevertheless, the gap between the two Spanish giants and the rest of world football is once again clear in the rankings.
Bayern Munich are fourth, also valued at €1.5 billion after a 21% increase, while Paris Saint-Germain remain fifth.
Manchester City, Liverpool and Manchester United occupy the next three positions, with Chelsea and Borussia Dortmund completing the top 10.
The top 10 clubs account for almost two-thirds of that total, at €14.9 billion.
The study also highlights record growth among football’s biggest brands. The 50 most valuable clubs have a combined brand value of €23.9 billion, the largest annual increase since the ranking was first introduced 15 years ago.
Spanish football on the rise
Spanish football’s presence extends well beyond its two biggest clubs.
Atletico Madrid have climbed to 11th in the world after increasing their brand value by 22%.
Real Betis also made one of the ranking’s biggest advances, climbing five places to 33rd, with a 14% increase.
Other Spanish clubs among the 50 most valuable brands are Athletic Club in 39th, Villarreal in 45th and Real Sociedad in 50th, which completes the ranking.
La Liga remains the world’s second-strongest league brand
Among domestic competitions, La Liga remains the second-strongest football league brand in the world, behind only the Premier League and ahead of the Bundesliga, Serie A and Ligue 1.
Brand Finance believes the next challenge for Spanish football is to use the international reach of Real Madrid and Barcelona to increase the value and visibility of the other clubs and of La Liga as a whole.
The consultancy also points toward the 2030 World Cup, which will be hosted by Spain, Portugal and Morocco alongside Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay, as another major opportunity for Spanish football’s international profile.
