Real Madrid News
Real Madrid make enquiries about €150 million-rated Barcelona priority target
Barcelona’s pursuit of Julian Alvarez has dominated headlines for weeks.
The Argentine forward has been identified as one of the club’s major attacking targets, and the Catalans have already tested Atletico Madrid’s resolve with a significant offer.
Now, however, a new and unexpected rival may have entered the race.
According to journalist Patrick Berger, Real Madrid have made enquiries about Alvarez and hold the Atletico Madrid striker in extremely high regard.
It is a development that few saw coming, particularly given the player’s strong links to Barcelona and the fierce rivalry between the two Spanish giants.
Yet when viewed alongside recent comments from Florentino Perez, the story suddenly becomes far more intriguing.
The €150m clue that now makes more sense
Before securing another term as Real Madrid president, Perez hinted that the club could make a major move for a world-class player valued at around €150 million.
“I’m going to make an offer to a Champions League club soon, on Tuesday, which will be the biggest payment Real Madrid has ever made for a player, at least 150 million,” said the president.
Since then, speculation has centred around several names.
Midfielders such as Vitinha and Joao Neves have been mentioned, while Bayern Munich winger Michael Olise has also been linked.
Yet Alvarez was rarely discussed despite being one of the most sought-after forwards in European football, and that may have been a mistake.
Patrick Berger reports that Real Madrid have already explored the situation surrounding the Argentine international, while Atletico Madrid are willing to discuss a transfer if an offer in the region of €150 million arrives.
Interestingly, that figure is identical to the valuation that has surfaced around Perez’s summer plans.
So what now?
At the same time, it must be noted that Barcelona remain interested in the player.
In fact, the Catalan club are believed to have already submitted a €100 million proposal for Alvarez, only for Atletico Madrid to reject it without hesitation.
So now, if Atletico are prepared to negotiate only at a much higher figure, Real Madrid may be one of the few clubs capable of seriously testing their resolve, as Barcelona just cannot afford to take such an outrageous financial risk.
Real Madrid News
Real Madrid defender takes major step towards comeback; set for return after international break
Real Madrid are finally beginning to see a clear path back for Eder Militao, with the defender now in the final phase of his rehabilitation and increasingly expected to return after the next international break.
Militao has been sidelined since suffering a tear to the proximal biceps femoris tendon in his left leg during the meeting with Alaves last April.
The injury required surgery, but his recovery has now reached a stage where his return can be discussed in more concrete terms.
Militao steps up rehabilitation at Valdebebas
While Real Madrid completed their preparations for Tuesday night’s trip to Elche, Militao was working separately from the main group at the Valdebebas Training Centre.
According to Mundo Deportivo, the Brazilian defender carried out specific exercises with the club’s rehabilitation staff and physiotherapists on pitches 1 and 2.
The work represents another step in a recovery process that has kept him away from competitive action for several months.
Mind you, Militao will not be involved against Elche, but the latest signs are considerably more encouraging for what comes next.
Return now expected after international break
The timeline surrounding Militao’s comeback is finally becoming clearer. Provided his recovery continues at its current pace, Real Madrid expect the centre-back to be available to Mourinho once the international break is over.
That break is scheduled to take place from the end of September into the first week of October, meaning Militao could be back by mid-October at the latest.
For a defender who has endured another significant spell on the sidelines, simply having a defined target gives an important moment in his rehabilitation.
Real Madrid still missing players
Militao’s progress is particularly welcome because Real Madrid continue to deal with several absences in the squad.
On that note, Rodrygo and Ferland Mendy remain on the injury list and are not expected to return as quickly as Militao.
Both these players are therefore ruled out of the Elche fixture, leaving Mourinho without several established options.
Beyond Elche, though, Militao’s return offers Real Madrid something far more valuable: another experienced defensive option for the demanding weeks ahead.
After surgery and months of rehabilitation, the Brazilian is now entering the final stretch, and if there are no setbacks, Real Madrid could have their defender back in the squad around the middle of October.
