Real Madrid News
Real Madrid not pursuing deal for 22-year-old La Liga defender – report
As reported earlier today, Real Madrid are set to bid goodbye to club captain and legend, Dani Carvajal, at the end of the season.
The 34-year-old right-back’s contract with the club expires on 30 June and the decision has been made to not renew his deal, therefore bringing an end to an illustrious career for the homegrown player.
Carvajal’s imminent exit will open up a spot in the squad for a right-back, as Trent Alexander-Arnold will be the only first-team player left in the position.
Real Madrid will consider new RB, rule out move for Juanlu Sanchez
Now, according to AS, Real Madrid will almost certainly continue searching for reinforcements at right-back, with Carvajal leaving at the end of the season.
However, the report states that Sevilla right-back Juanlu Sanchez, previously a target for the club, has long since disappeared from Los Blancos’ list of priorities.
The 22-year-old defender, who burst onto the scenes at Sevilla a couple of years ago, had been monitored by Real Madrid for some time now.
However, the Spaniard is experiencing an unusual season during which he has been playing only sporadically and has recently lost his starting spot to another academy product, Jose Angel Carmona.
With Sevilla set to face Real Madrid tomorrow in La Liga, Juanlu is unlikely to be a stater and will most certainly feature from the bench again.
And, as far as a potential transfer to the Santiago Bernabeu is concerned, Real Madrid are no longer pursuing the 22-year-old right-back.
Who will replace Carvajal at Real Madrid?
As far as a potential replacement for Carvajal is concerned, Real Madrid could always look at the options within the academy.
Jesus Fortea is one of the most highly-rated young right-backs in Spain and could be handed a first-team breakthrough next season.
Another option would be David Jimenez, who already made his senior debut this season and could serve as Trent’s backup next term.
According to TeamTalk, Real Madrid have joined the growing list of clubs monitoring Gabriel Rajkovic, a 15-year-old winger whose rapid development at Valerenga has already attracted attention from several of Europe’s leading sides.
The Merengues are known for keeping an eye on exciting young talent across the globe and it seems that Rajkovic’s exploits in Norway, with the first team, have alerted them.
Real Madrid keeping tabs on Rajkovic
As per the report, Real Madrid are among a host of clubs closely following the progress of the young forward.
Rajkovic holds both Norwegian and Serbian nationality and has emerged as one of the most promising young players in Norway.
His development has not gone unnoticed, with Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund also understood to be monitoring him.
However, at this point, it is Arsenal and Chelsea, who are understood to be leading the charge for Rajkovic, having compiled a detailed dossier on the teenage prodigy after extensive scouting.
On top of that, the likes of Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur have all watched Rajkovic in recent weeks.
Real Madrid could therefore face significant competition if they decide to step up their interest in a player who has already made an impression at senior level.
Making an impact at just 15
Rajkovic was handed a promotion to the Valerenga first-team squad in January earlier this year, when he was only 14 years old.
Following that, he signed a new contract with the club in March, when he turned 15, committing to the club until 2028.
Despite being only 15, the winger has already begun gaining experience in first-team football. In all, he has made 14 senior appearances for the Norwegian outfit, scoring three and assisting one goal.
Rajkovic has also represented Norway Under-16s, making two appearances and scoring once despite being younger than many of his teammates.
Those numbers become more impressive when his age and stage of development are taken into account.
Real Madrid have built a reputation for identifying young talent well before players reach their peak, and Rajkovic has now emerged as another name on their scouting radar.
But given the number of clubs in the race, signing the teenage wonderkid will not be easy.
