Real Madrid News
Real Madrid outcast could return to his former club in the summer – report
Real Madrid will look to build on their winning momentum when they take on Real Sociedad on Tuesday. It promises to be a special game for Alvaro Odriozola, who may play the same game next season, but in the colours of the Txuri-Urdin.
This has been reported by Diario AS, which suggests there is a growing possibility of Odriozola’s return to Real Sociedad in the coming summer.
The defender has been eyeing a return to his home club for a while now, but he is hoping he could be lucky the third time. With his contract expiring in 2024, there is a good chance Real Madrid might look to cash in on him before he leaves for free.
Odriozola was linked with a move away from the Santiago Bernabeu last summer, but a move did not materialise. The player did not entertain the offer he had from Inter Milan. Now it appears he is keen on a return to Real Sociedad.
The former Bayern Munich loanee had played for Sociedad since the early days of his career. He had featured in 57 competitive matches for the Txuri-Urdin before moving to Real Madrid. But after a poor spell at the Bernabeu, he is eyeing a return to Anoeta next season.
The possibility of playing in the UEFA Champions League for his youth club is an attractive prospect for Odriozola. On top of that, the two Spanish clubs have an excellent relationship, which could further drive the negotiations.
The talks between the two parties over Odriozola’s transfer are fluid at the moment. It may soon pick up pace in these final few weeks of the season.
However, Real Sociedad are not the only club interested in Odriozola, as the player has also been targeted by Athletic Club. So it will be interesting to see what the future holds for the defender this summer.
The cloud of uncertainty over Karim Benzema’s future has served as a major headache for the Real Madrid board, as they kickstart their team planning ahead of the new season.
Recent reports claim the Frenchman is strongly considering a move to Saudi Arabia, after receiving a lucrative €150 million offer from Al Ittihad. He was close to renewing his contract at Santiago Bernabeu not too long ago, but it appears the tables have turned lately.
Nevertheless, Real Madrid are yet to give up on Benzema and still harbour hopes of renewing his contract in the coming weeks, reports Alfredo Matilla.
The Spanish journalist suggests Real Madrid have not closed the file on Benzema. Coach Carlo Ancelotti has recently met the forward to clarify his future and it appears the club are set to do everything they can to keep hold of the player.
Benzema’s departure, after all, could put the club in a major dilemma, where they must either sign a top-class striker or settle for a low-cost alternative for the entirety of next season.
Harry Kane has been earmarked as the ideal replacement for Benzema. But his acquisition could potentially jeopardise Real Madrid’s bid to sign either Erling Haaland or Kylian Mbappe in 2024. The club have also faced difficulties negotiating with Daniel Levy, the Spurs chairman.
As far as the low-cost options are concerned, Real Madrid are interested in Roberto Firmino, who will become a free agent in the summer.
However, the Brazilian international is not the most productive striker around and his struggles in front of goal could put more pressure on players like Vinicius Junior next season.
Real Madrid, therefore, will hope to keep hold of Benzema’s services for another year. Unfortunately, though, the player has given a cold response so far and left training early, without speaking too much.
So it will be interesting to see whether or not the veteran striker opts to remain at Bernabeu for another year.
