Real Madrid News
Real Madrid looking to offload four players during the summer transfer window
Real Madrid aim to rejuvenate their squad in the summer with a complete overhaul. As any renovation has it, there are two components to this mission.
The first objective of the club is to identify transfer targets and go after them. The likes of Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland fall into this category as they near moves to the Bernabeu.
However, eliminating the deadwood is an equally important objective that is often overlooked. According to reports from MARCA, via Fichajes, Los Blancos have identified four players who they wish to force out in the coming summer.
These players are Luka Jovic, Jesus Vallejo, Mariano Diaz, and Dani Ceballos.
Luka Jovic has not produced any performances even remotely close to the €60 million Real Madrid paid for him in 2019.
The striker has not started any La Liga games for the leaders this season and has scored only one goal in close to 300 minutes. Unsurprisingly, Ancelotti does not have the Serbian in his plans and has placed him on the transfer list.
The second player deemed transferable is Jesus Vallejo. The 25-year-old defender has only played 10 minutes this season and finds himself at the bottom of the pecking order. With Florentino Perez planning a big signing at centre-back in June, Vallejo will have no place in the team next season.
Mariano Diaz, too, is in a similar situation to Jovic. The striker was thought to be the next big player for Real Madrid when he was given the number 7 after Cristiano Ronaldo.
However, he has had little impact during his stay in Madrid and has not scored any goals this season. With Mbappe and Haaland likely to arrive, Diaz will certainly be one to be shown the door.
The final player on Real Madrid’s departure list is Dani Ceballos. The midfielder has only seen 60 minutes in La Liga since the beginning of the season despite the relative lack of depth in the department.
Real Betis are said to be interested in his signing as he looks for a way out in June.
Real Madrid News
U-turn? Benzema hints at Real Madrid stay during ceremony: “Reality is not the internet”
There has been a lot of talk around Karim Benzema’s situation over the course of the last week or so, with reports claiming that the Frenchman was on his way out of the Santiago Bernabeu.
With his contract expiring at the end of the season, it was reported that Benzema was joining Al Ittihad as part of an incredible deal worth nearly €200 million. The striker was also offered 100% of his image rights and advertising deals by the Saudi government.
Over the last day or so, it has been reported that the move is all but official at the moment, as Benzema has accepted the offer, and will soon inform Real Madrid about it.
Benzema was awarded the MARCA Leyenda awards for contribution to sports today, and speaking during it, he dropped a rather cryptic message about his future – one that says quite the opposite to what has been in the news recently.
“Speak to the fans? Speak about what? Why should I speak of the future if I’m in Madrid?”, Benzema said.
“It’s the internet speaking, and reality is not the internet,” he added.
This certainly falls away from the departure line for Benzema, who was reportedly already contemplating his life away from Madrid.
At first, though, he was hesitant about speaking about his future, saying, “Staying or leaving Real Madrid? At the moment, I’m here…we have a game on Saturday.”
He repeatedly talked about the fans, calling them the best in world football. He also said, “I know how much Real Madrid fans love me. I feel that when I’m on the pitch, I give my best for them, always.”
“I always say that we play with 11 on the pitch but also with a crucial factor, Real Madrid fans,” Benzema concluded.
