Real Madrid News
Real Madrid outcast ready to leave the club, but only on one condition
As we enter the final week of the summer transfer window, Real Madrid could be ready to goodbye to one of their out-of-favour players in Mariano Diaz.
The 29-year-old striker is no longer a part of the plans at the Santiago Bernabeu and the Merengues have been looking to move him on for a while now with no luck.
It was partly because Mariano himself had no desire of leaving Real Madrid, which had to pessimism within the club about the chances of selling him before the summer window slammed shut.
However, as per the latest reports from Diario AS, Mariano has now had a change of heart and is ready to leave Real Madrid, but only on the condition that he joins another La Liga club and does not move outside of Spain.
The 29-year-old has been linked with a host of La Liga clubs over the summer, with the likes of Sevilla, Celta Vigo, Getafe, Rayo Vallecano and Espanyol all showing some degree of interest in acquiring his services.
However, none of the clubs have come forward with a concrete approach for the Real Madrid forward. But now that he is willing to accept his fate and move on, things could pick up speed in the final week of the window.
Mariano returned to Real Madrid for a second spell in 2018 after enjoying a fine 2017/18 campaign at Olympique Lyon during which he scored 18 goals.
Brought in to replace Cristiano Ronaldo, who had left for Juventus that summer, the striker has never been able to win over any of the managers he has played under. He played just 11 matches in all competitions last term and has been overlooked by Carlo Ancelotti in the new season.
Mariano was reported to be keen on seeing out his contract with Los Blancos, considering it will expire next year. However, as per the report, he is now tired of warming the benches and seeks to move to a club within Spain where he can play regularly.
Only time will tell whether any of the aforementioned clubs who had shown an interest in Mariano come forward to sign him.
Real Madrid are looking towards a heavy splurge in the coming summer transfer window. After all, they do not even have another option given the sheer number of player departures already finalized.
Los Blancos have lost the services of Karim Benzema, Marco Asensio, Mariano Diaz, and Eden Hazard over the past week. While three of the four players predominantly featured on the bench, their presence in the squad gave Carlo Ancelotti’s side much-needed depth and a cushion of sorts.
The forward unit is, thus, the most prioritized department ahead of the transfer window. However, pieces are beginning to fall apart on other fronts and could potentially put the club in a difficult situation.
According to reports from Gianluca Di Marzio, Juventus are eyeing Lucas Vazquez and hope to sign him in the coming month. Contacts between the two parties have begun and the transfer fee discussed appears to be around the €6 million to €8 million ballpark given that he has just one year left on his contract.
The player, for his part, is willing to sign for the Italian giants given his relative lack of minutes at the Santiago Bernabeu. At 31 years of age, he understandably does not want to play a second-fiddle role.
Vasquez played part in 23 of Real Madrid’s 38 La Liga games last season, starting only on 12 occasions. Even in his few appearances, he averaged a mere 50 minutes per game.
The veteran completed the season with four goals and an assist to his name. Further, he averaged five defensive actions and a key pass in every game and feels hard done by his limited role.
Vazquez’s departure would place the club in a tricky situation as it would leave Real Madrid with only Dani Carvajal as a natural right-back option. Nacho Fernandez could, in theory, serve as the backup but a new signing for the position cannot be ruled out.
