Real Madrid News
Real Madrid new signing set to be made official after the World Cup – report
Real Madrid have made some key strides in their squad-building over the past week or so, notably confirming Jose Mourinho as the new coach.
The Spanish giants are also slated to bring in three new players in Ibrahima Konate, Denzel Dumfries and Bernardo Silva.
Konate and Silva are expected to join on a free transfer, with the deal for the former being finalised a long time ago.
Konate to be announced after the World Cup
According to journalist Andi Onrubia (h/t Madrid Zone), Ibrahima Konate will sign for Real Madrid after the World Cup, with the formalities of his arrival set to be completed once his international commitments with France have concluded.
The French centre-back has been one of Florentino Perez’s priority targets all summer, and his arrival was effectively confirmed during the presidential election campaign when Perez named him as his first defensive recruit.
Konate leaves Liverpool as a free agent after five seasons at Anfield, and his signing could go a long way in adding more depth to the backline that has already lost Dani Carvajal and David Alaba.
A deal already agreed
Konate has already put pen to paper on a contract running until 2030, with all terms agreed between the player and the club ahead of the official announcement.
The deal has the full backing of incoming manager Jose Mourinho, and an official confirmation is expected to follow once the World Cup is over.
The defender will slot into a centre-back group that already includes Antonio Rudiger, Eder Militao, Raul Asencio and Dean Huijsen.
Endorsement from Mbappe
The signing has been warmly received within the squad, with Kylian Mbappe among those to publicly welcome his international teammate.
Speaking recently, the Real Madrid forward delivered an endorsement of Konate, describing him as an aggressive, tactically flexible defender of the kind he loves having in his team.
Konate’s move also strengthens the growing French core at the Bernabeu, with the defender set to join compatriots Mbappe, Aurelien Tchouameni, Eduardo Camavinga and Ferland Mendy in the dressing room.
After three successive wins to start the season, a 1-0 loss to Real Betis came as a reality check for Real Madrid, who are still some way off matching the quality and consistency of Barcelona.
In light of the defeat, the Real Madrid coaching staff is analysing the best way to get the most out of the current setup.
More expected from Valverde
According to Defensa Central, one of the key conclusions drawn from the Betis defeat is that Real Madrid need greater involvement from Federico Valverde with the ball.
The Uruguayan has been deployed as the pivot, largely due to the absence of the injured Aurelien Tchouameni, but he is yet to make the step up in quality the team requires from that role.
While his effort and commitment are never in doubt, Mourinho and his staff, led by Sami Khedira, feel Valverde spends too much time positioned behind the opposition’s midfield line.
As a result, he fails to offer passing lanes to his teammates when they are under pressure, forcing them into hurried, aimless clearances rather than playing out cleanly from the back.
That concern has already been communicated to Valverde, who is still adapting to a position he has never truly played, making the challenge all the more difficult for him.
A collective issue to fix
However, the problem is not Valverde’s alone, with the coaching staff identifying a wider issue in the team’s structure.
Khedira has reportedly noted a certain passivity from the attackers in the videos of the match, particularly Vinicius Jr and Kylian Mbappe, when it comes to offering themselves as the ball transitions from midfield into attacking areas.
That lack of movement compounds the difficulties for the deeper midfielders.
Mourinho, for his part, remains unfazed by the departure of Rodri to Barcelona, insisting his squad has the tools to cope.
“I’m not missing Rodri. We have solutions, we have quality,” the Portuguese said, before adding that he backs his ability to improve players.
With a Champions League opener against Inter Milan on the horizon, Mourinho and his staff will be keen to iron out these issues quickly.
