Real Madrid News
Real Madrid keen on teenage La Liga defender with €50 million release clause
It is no secret that Real Madrid are scouring the market for options to strengthen their centre-back department before the start of the next season.
Established players like Ibrahima Konate of Liverpool and Nico Schlotterbeck of Borussia Dortmund have been mentioned as possible targets for the summer.
At the same time, Real Madrid are also keeping an eye out for young talent with potential to flourish at the highest level.
Jon Martin on Real Madrid’s radar
In that context, El Mundo reports that Real Madrid are interested in Real Sociedad’s teenage defender Jon Martin.
Just 19 years old, the Spanish defender broke into the La Real senior setup last season and has already made 42 first-team appearances, 24 of which have come in the ongoing campaign.
Martin also happens to be an international with Spain’s U-21 setup, having played four times for them already.
Seen as a young player with great potential, Real Madrid are keen on Martin and could consider making a move for him in the summer.
Los Blancos took note of the youngster after his strong display against them back in February, even though Sociedad lost the game 4-1 on the night.
The teenage defender signed a new contract with Real Sociedad in October last year, committing to the Basque club until 2031. The deal contains a release clause worth €50 million.
As things stand, it is unlikely that Real Madrid see Martin as a priority target heading into the summer transfer window.
But the 19-year-old prospect is a player very much on the Merengues’ radar as they look to beef up their defensive ranks. And the interest could grow stronger if his development continues on the positive trajectory.
Real Madrid News
Mbappe hits out at claims on his unhappiness at Real Madrid: ‘Angry at my great aunt too’
Kylian Mbappe has been in the news for a plethora of reasons in recent weeks, starting with his injury and surprise vacation. Beyond that, the Ballon d’Or saga has kept him in the spotlight for a reasonable while now.
The Frenchman, after all, has not held back in speaking out about why he deserves to win the prestigious individual award, and while it is perfectly okay to campaign for the award, it is something that has not usually been done in the past.
In terms of his goalscoring numbers, there is no doubt that Mbappe should be a frontrunner for the award. His lack of a single trophy for both club and country, however, works against his chances.
Mbappe’s sarcastic reply to baseless rumours
Earlier today, there were reports of Kylian Mbappe being angry with Zinedine Zidane and Real Madrid for not campaigning for him to win the Ballon d’Or this year.
The rumours, needless to say, portrayed the player in a very bad light and made it seem like the club not making public gestures to acknowledge and back his campaign affected him personally.
Now, the player has himself come out to lash out at the journalists, albeit in a sarcastic manner. Commenting directly below the post making the claim via Fabrizio Romano, the player wrote,
“Yes, yes, I even got angry with my great aunt too.”
Mbappe’s ability to deal with such reports with a tinge of humour, needless to say, is impressive and it can only be good for his image that he spoke out and cut off the news at its roots.
Set to return
There has been significant concern around Mbappe’s fitness in recent weeks after the player left the French national team with an injury after their first game.
The initial diagnosis appeared worrying, but it soon came to light that the player had avoided a major setback by a hair’s breadth.
Now, there is increasing hope that the Frenchman will be back for Real Madrid’s first game after the break against Villarreal, possibly even as a starter.
Needless to say, that comes as a massive positive for Jose Mourinho’s plans ahead of a crucial stretch of the season.
