Real Madrid News
Real Madrid ‘lucky charm’s’ season ends prematurely due to double shoulder surgery
Real Madrid Castilla’s Jeremy de Leon has been dealt a major blow, as his season has come to a premature end due to persistent shoulder problems that now require surgery on both shoulders.
According to a report from SPORT, the young Puerto Rican winger will be sidelined for an extended period as he undergoes medical procedures to correct these recurring issues.
De Leon’s name gained prominence over the past year, not necessarily because of his on-field performances but due to his unexpected role as a “lucky charm” for Real Madrid’s first team.
And why is that?
Despite not being registered for the Champions League, Carlo Ancelotti included him in several crucial matchday squads during Los Blancos’ triumphant European campaign.
He was present for key ties against Manchester City in the quarterfinals, Bayern Munich in the semifinals, and the grand final at Wembley against Borussia Dortmund.
Although he did not play a single minute in the competition, he was part of the celebrations, even lifting the Champions League trophy with his teammates.
However, since he was not officially registered, the title does not appear in his honours.
Troubling times
Despite these memorable moments, De Leon’s time at Real Madrid Castilla has been far from ideal. He arrived at the club from Castellon in January 2024 but has struggled with injuries ever since.
His shoulder problems have severely limited his playing time, restricting him to just 12 appearances for Castilla. Hopes of making his first-team debut were also dashed due to his recurring fitness struggles.
Now, the 21-year-old faces a lengthy recovery process following surgery. With the current season over for him, his focus will shift entirely toward rehabilitation, aiming to regain full fitness and get back to competing at the highest level.
Real Madrid News
Real Madrid explored moves for Man City and Inter Milan stars before Ibrahima Konate transfer
Real Madrid’s summer activity saw the club bring in Ibrahima Konate on a free transfer. The former Liverpool star was one of many players to join the club in the summer.
While Konate has proven to be a shrewd piece of business, the club have once again lacked depth in central defence.
They have not been helped by the fact that Eder Militao is still out with an injury while David Alaba left in the club in the summer.
Real Madrid chose Ibrahima over Bastoni and Dias
According to Fabrizio Romano (h/t Madrid Zone), Real Madrid were fairly ambitious in the summer, as far as their defensive reinforcements plans were concerned.
The club had targeted a move for Alessandro Bastoni, which is not a secret at this point as arch rivals Barcelona were also interested. But inter Milan had no desire to sell, and the player ended up remaining at the club.
But one more player Real Madrid were targeting in the summer was Manchester City star Ruben Dias, who is considered one of the best in the Premier League.
Ultimately, though, Real Madrid abandoned the pursuit of both Dias and Bastoni in order to chose Konate. It did take a while for Los Blancos to convince the former Liverpool star to jump ship and join Santiago Bernabeu on a free transfer.
What’s next for Real Madrid?
Seeing the lack of depth in central defence this season, Real Madrid are once again expected to enter the market for a new centre-back.
Romano had earlier claimed that the club are keen on signing a centre-back, as well as a midfielder for the summer of 2027, with Jarrel Quansah as a potential target.
But given the way Real Madrid have struggled with a lack of options at the heart of the backline, it won’t be surprising to see the club make a move for a new centre-back in the upcoming January transfer window.
It will be equally interesting to see what transpires with the future of Raul Asencio, who is no longer a valued member of the first-team and the club remain determined to offload him in the near future.
