Real Madrid News
Real Madrid planning two further reinforcements after Yan Diomande deal
The manner in which Real Madrid are incessantly pushing for an agreement with RB Leipzig, Yan Diomande appears set to be Los Blancos‘ next recruit of the summer.
After going trophy-less for two seasons, it has already been a massive summer for the men in white in an attempt to regain their lost competitiveness.
Having already made four signings including Denzel Dumfries, Marc Cucurella, Ibrahima Konate and Bernardo Silva, the fifth is just around the corner. The club, however, are unlikely to stop there, as reported by Diario AS.
Pushing for more
Indeed, as relayed by the Spanish outlet, Real Madrid could make even more signings after the arrival of Yan Diomande, and there are two that particularly stand out.
For starters, there is a good chance that Real Madrid will push for the signing of Alessandro Bastoni to cover Jose Mourinho’s long-standing desire to bring in a second starting-quality centre-back.
Then, the club could also go on to make a massive midfield recruitment. Rodri is currently the most closely linked and could be the signing the club are pushing for.
The report, however, queerly states that Rodri may not be the player on the club’s radar, nor the right fit for Real Madrid’s current situation.
They could well have another name in mind – one that has not come out yet – although it would be surprising if they did not sign Rodri after how closely they have been linked with the Manchester City midfielder.
One man calling the shots
At Real Madrid, it has often been Florentino Perez and his administrators who have had the final say in all of the club’s operations.
For the first time in a long time, however, they have handed complete control of the transfer negotiations to Jose Mourinho, the team’s newly appointed first-team coach.
From the beginning of the summer transfer window, Mourinho has called all the shots in terms of both transfer targets and departure-bound candidates and is personally monitoring the building of the squad.
The decision of which players to prioritise after Diomande, needless to say, will again be a decision that will fall on his shoulders and on which he will have complete authority.
Real Madrid News
Two Real Madrid stars train at club facilities on day off after beating Inter Milan
According to reports on El Chiringuito TV (h/t Bernabeu Digital), two Real Madrid stars, Yan Diomande and Brahim Diaz, trained at the club’s Valdebebas facilities today despite the players being given the day off by manager Jose Mourinho.
Real Madrid were in action late on Tuesday night as they defeated Inter Milan 2-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu in their first UEFA Champions League match of the season.
Following that, Mourinho decided to give his players a rest day before starting preparations for the weekend La Liga fixture against Rayo Vallecano.
Despite that, both Diomande and Diaz, who compete for the right-wing spot in the team, showed up at the club facilities and trained by themselves.
Diomande yet to get going
Diomande has not made the ideal start to life at Real Madrid. As the most expensive signing in the club’s history, the €140 million price tag inevitably brings enormous expectations, even if that pressure is arguably unfair on such a young player.
Mourinho has deliberately avoided throwing the Ivorian straight into the spotlight, instead introducing him gradually and giving him minutes from the bench.
However, the patience surrounding his adaptation is beginning to be tested as supporters expect more from a player who cost such a huge fee.
Aware that his first performances in white have not been his best, Diomande travelled to Valdebebas on Wednesday morning to train, despite Mourinho giving the entire squad a day off.
Brahim also gives up his day off
Diomande was not the only Madrid player to make that decision. Brahim Diaz also reported to the Ciudad Real Madrid, choosing to train individually despite being given the day off after the Champions League victory over Inter Milan.
The Moroccan attacker started against Inter and played until the 80th minute, producing an impressive performance on both sides of the ball.
Neither Brahim nor Diomande currently has a guaranteed starting role, but both are responding to Mourinho’s demands by putting in additional work.
For Real Madrid, those gestures are an encouraging sign. The Merengues are seeing a squad that appears increasingly disciplined and committed, while the extra effort from players competing for places can help create a healthy level of competition.
It is also precisely the type of attitude Mourinho values. For Diomande in particular, the extra session represents an opportunity to work away from the spotlight and begin closing the gap between his current performances and the very high expectations that came with his record transfer.
