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.
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.
