Real Madrid News
Real Madrid locker room atmosphere ‘not good’ due to uncertainty over contract renewals
According to MARCA (h/t Madrid Xtra), the atmosphere within the Real Madrid locker room is not good due to the uncertainty surrounding the futures of several first-team players whose contracts expire.
Karim Benzema, Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, Nacho Fernandez, Marco Asensio, Dani Ceballos and Mariano Diaz all see their current contracts expire at the end of the season.
In some cases, Real Madrid have made contacts to discuss the stars’ futures, but as per the report, some of the players have received no communication from the club’s side, leaving them in the dark about the situation.
It has contributed to a dull atmosphere within the dressing room, one which will have only made worse by the recent run of results, especially in El Clasicos against Barcelona.
Indeed, Real Madrid lost their last game before the international break, falling to a 2-1 defeat to Barça, which all but ended their hopes of retaining the La Liga title.
The Merengues will face their arch-rivals again in less than a week in the second leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final and cannot afford a slip-up there, especially given that they are already trailing 1-0 from the first leg.
At this juncture, a bad atmosphere in the locker room is the last thing that any team would want. So, it is up to manager Carlo Ancelotti to turn things around and elevate the mood within the team ahead of a crucial run of fixtures.
As for the contract situations of the players, the likes of Benzema, Kroos and Modric appear certain to renew for one more year, while Nacho is also said to be ready to accept a one-year renewal. Meanwhile, Mariano Diaz is certain to depart as a free agent.
Asensio and Ceballos’ situations remain unclear and it remains to be seen what the future holds for them.
Real Madrid News
Real Madrid plan to hold talks with Chelsea over €60 million-rated German international
Kai Havertz has emerged as the latest target for Real Madrid as they look to beef up the attacking unit ahead of the new season.
The club are bracing themselves for the loss of Marco Asensio, who is reportedly closing in on a move to Paris Saint-Germain. Even Dani Ceballos is facing an uncertain future at Santiago Bernabeu, though the club are making a last-gasp effort to keep hold of the midfielder.
In order to mitigate the losses, Real Madrid are planning to bring in a new attacker, with Havertz emerging as a potential candidate.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Real Madrid’s plan is to hold talks with Chelsea in the next few weeks, over the possibility of Havertz’s move to the Bernabeu.
The Premier League giants seek good money for the German international, but do not consider him ‘untouchable’. The player, after all, has endured a difficult season, where his productivity has been questioned.
The former Bayer Leverkusen starlet has netted seven goals in the Premier League this past season, but the number could have easily breached the 15 mark if the forward had successfully converted most of his chances.
Chelsea, therefore, are ready to offload the German ahead of the new season. The Blues had signed the young playmaker in the summer of 2020, for an astounding €80 million. But the move has not paid off at all, with the player scoring just 32 goals in 139 appearances.
Chelsea are now keen on recouping some of that investment by asking big money for Havertz this summer. Real Madrid, for their part, are not exactly clear how much they should spend on the German, but they appear ready to take the gamble on the player.
