Real Madrid News
Real Madrid midfielder to cut short his loan stint at La Liga club in January
Antonio Blanco is regarded as one of the most promising young midfielders to have come through the youth ranks at Real Madrid.
The 22-year-old midfielder has made over 60 appearances for the club’s Castilla outfit and was handed his first-team debut by Zinedine Zidane in April last year.
Blanco went on to make six senior appearances for Los Blancos before leaving for Cadiz on loan as game-time would have been hard to come by in the first-team setup at the Santiago Bernabeu.
But things have not gone according to plan for the Spanish youngster at Cadiz and according to AS, Blanco is set to cut short his loan stint with the La Liga club come January.
Since joining Cadiz, the Real Madrid loanee has played just four times across all competitions, with his last appearance in La Liga coming in October.
It is pretty evident that manager Sergio Gonzalez does not see Blanco as a major part of his plans at Cadiz. And given that the situation is not ideal for the youngster’s development, Real Madrid will likely be recalling him in January.
However, the report adds that it does not mean the 22-year-old will be given a place in Carlo Ancelotti’s side or sent back to Castilla. Instead, Real Madrid plan on shipping Blanco out on loan again to a club where he can gather more minutes.
Second-division side SD Eibar have emerged as suitors for the Spanish prospect as they look to reinforce their midfield department. But, other clubs Cartagena, Tenerife, and Oviedo are also interested in securing his services.
Blanco’s contract with Real Madrid expires in 2024. With Jude Bellingham expected to arrive at the Bernabeu next summer, the competition for places will only increase and the academy graduate needs to make a good impression over the next six months to stand a chance to earn a place in Ancelotti’s plans.
Before he was hired by Bayern Munich as the direct replacement for Julian Nagelsmann, Thomas Tuchel was closely linked with a move to Real Madrid at the end of the season.
The German tactician had kept a close eye on the development at Santiago Bernabeu, especially with coach Carlo Ancelotti facing immense pressure following the club’s poor performances in domestic competitions.
A recent report from Jorge Picon has offered more details on the Tuchel saga, suggesting that the coach was even learning Spanish during his time at Ibiza, anticipating a potential move to Real Madrid at the end of the season.
There were even contacts made between Tuchel’s entourage and Real Madrid. Although the talks were positive, the two sides were not able to reach an agreement.
Real Madrid did not guarantee him the job. They had informed Tuchel that Ancelotti may continue at the Bernabeu in the event the club win the UEFA Champions League this season.
This bit of uncertainty played a critical role in convincing Tuchel to join Bayern Munich instead. The former Chelsea boss was hired as a direct replacement for Nagelsmann, who was sacked after a poor season in the Bundesliga by the club’s high standards.
However, Tuchel’s move to Bayern appears to be a missed opportunity on the German’s part, as Real Madrid have recently intensified their search for a new manager.
It is clear that the club’s hierarchy is yet to reach a consensus over the future of Ancelotti, with some believing that a change is necessary come the end of the season. In fact, the club’s president Florentino Perez has been an admirer of Tuchel’s compatriot Nagelsmann.
The coaching prodigy is one of the candidates to replace Ancelotti in the summer, though it is Mauricio Pochettion who is reportedly leading the race so far.
