Real Madrid News
Real Madrid open to selling French midfielder for €70 million on deadline day
Real Madrid have made their position on Eduardo Camavinga clear ahead of the transfer deadline: the midfielder will not be allowed to leave for anything below €70 million.
According to AS, however, no proposal close to that figure has reached the Bernabéu so far, while Camavinga himself has never considered leaving the club.
That combination makes a late transfer increasingly unlikely.
Real Madrid have been working with a straightforward condition for deadline day – no new arrivals unless a player leaves first – and there is currently little indication of either happening.
Camavinga’s situation is nevertheless one worth watching because Real Madrid have been open to listening to offers for the France international.
His sale was viewed as a possible way of generating a substantial financial injection if a suitable proposal arrived.
Real Madrid refuse to lower Camavinga valuation
The idea of Camavinga leaving has been discussed for several weeks, but Real Madrid have never intended to give the midfielder away cheaply, setting their asking price at €70 million.
That money was intended to strengthen another area.
Manchester United have been linked most prominently with the 23-year-old.
In fact, there had been suggestions that the Premier League club could prepare a bid around €50 million, but no such offer ultimately materialised.
Even if it had, that figure would have fallen well short of Real Madrid’s demands.
Hence, the lack of a serious proposal means there is little for the club to negotiate at this stage.
Camavinga has no plans to leave Real Madrid
For now, Camavinga remains committed to Real Madrid despite facing a difficult battle for regular minutes.
The midfield competition has intensified, with Federico Valverde, Bernardo Silva and Aurelien Tchouaméni all ahead of him in the current pecking order.
Yet there are no negotiations underway with another club, and Camavinga is not pushing for an exit, leaving Real Madrid in a relatively comfortable position.
They may have been willing to consider a lucrative offer, but without one, and without the player seeking a move, there is little reason for the situation to change on deadline day.
Real Madrid have an interesting selection dilemma at left-back, with Marc Cucurella and Alvaro Carreras competing for a starting spot under Jose Mourinho.
While Cucurella brings experience and an established reputation, Carreras is making an increasingly convincing case to become the team’s first-choice option.
The battle between the two Spaniards is particularly relevant given Madrid’s defensive difficulties so far this season.
Mourinho is searching for greater defensive stability and has an important choice to make between Cucurella and Carreras.
Carreras offers the defensive security Madrid need
One of Carreras’ biggest strengths is his ability to defend in one-v-one situations.
The 23-year-old generally looks comfortable against direct wingers, showing patience in his positioning and making it difficult for opponents to get past him.
That defensive reliability is particularly valuable in Mourinho’s system, where full-backs can find themselves isolated when Madrid lose possession.
Cucurella, meanwhile, has occasionally looked vulnerable against opponents attacking him directly, with space opening up for crosses from his side.
With Vinicius Junior usually playing ahead of him, the former Chelsea man does not get the defensive support he needs from his winger, leaving him isolated.
However, Carreras’ case is not built entirely on defending. He is also comfortable carrying possession forward, driving into space and helping Madrid progress down the left flank.
This makes him an attractive option for a team that has struggled to progress the ball up the pitch as consistently as they would have hoped.
Cucurella still offers qualities Mourinho values
Despite the growing case for Carreras, Cucurella should not be dismissed, and his reputation should not be forgotten.
His experience, aggressive pressing and willingness to engage opponents higher up the pitch can be useful when Madrid want to pin back the opposition.
He is also capable of moving into central areas to support possession, giving Mourinho different tactical possibilities.
However, Cucurella’s attacking contributions have not always been as influential as expected during these early weeks.
The Spaniard made a name for himself at Chelsea and with Spain by getting into attacking positions and creating chances for his teammates.
At Madrid, however, with the team looking to pass the ball quickly to runners like Vinicius and Mbappe, the best aspect of Cucurella’s game has not come to the fore.
This makes defensive solidity the primary requirement for Madrid’s left-back, and it is here that Carreras seems to have an advantage over Cucurella.
Carreras deserves an extended opportunity
At this stage, Carreras has a strong argument for becoming Madrid’s preferred left-back.
His defensive qualities appear particularly suited to the team’s immediate needs, while his ability to carry possession ensures Madrid would not sacrifice much attacking potential.
Instead of treating the left-back role as a game of musical chairs, Mourinho would be better off giving one of the two an extended run to make the position their own.
Competition for places is healthy as long as it does not breed insecurity, and at the moment, Carreras seems to be in better form than Cucurella.
It will not be easy to justify benching a summer investment, but Mourinho’s job is to make those difficult calls, and it remains to be seen how he approaches this decision.
