Real Madrid News
Real Madrid ready to give up on the signing of 21-year-old superstar striker
Journalist Ramon Alvarez de Mon has said that Real Madrid have given up on the idea of signing Erling Haaland in the summer.
He also added that they are currently prioritising the renewal of midfielder Dani Caballos at the special request of Carlo Ancelotti.
Haaland, one of the most in-demand players at the moment, is a subject of interest of several top European teams, including the likes of Barcelona and even Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City.
City have been taking strategic steps in their pursuit, with the utmost being the extension of Guardiola himself. As MARCA reports, Haaland wants a guarantee that Guardiola should remain at City for a longer period of time if he is to don the blue of Manchester.
In that regard, talks between the Cityzens and Guardiola have been opened and if agreed, the former Barça coach would commit his future until 2025.
While City are approaching this deal slowly, there is also an interest from Bayern Munich. The Bavarians, in fact, had a meeting with Haaland’s camp in March, but nothing is finalised at the moment.
Ceballos pushing for starting role
Midfielder Dani Ceballos, who enjoyed two successful loan tenures at Arsenal, has spent most of the current season on the sidelines. The 25-year-old missed the first half of the season with an ankle injury and has made a late comeback to make a final push in the starting XI.
If not for that injury, which he sustained during last summer’s Tokyo Olympics, Ceballos would have been sold anyway. His persistence and commitment, however, has forced Carlo Ancelotti to reconsider his thoughts on the midfielder.
Ceballos’ current deal with Real ends in 2023 and while there has been no approach over a plausible extension, he hasn’t made it to the transfer list either.
MARCA says the manager mentioned his name in the list of players he would want to continue beyond the ongoing season, forcing the management to at least prepare an offer for the player who will be without a contract in 14 months.
And so, Ceballos’ situation has been altered altogether and the midfielder might as well have an offer on the table soon.
There just does not appear to be any respite from injuries for Real Madrid.
Just when it appeared that they were close to having their full squad – barring the two long-term absentees – the Merengues have been struck down by fresh injuries this week.
Arda Guler, who was on the cusp of being named in the squad for the Las Palmas clash, injured himself in training on Tuesday.
And now, during the game against Las Palmas at the Santiago Bernabeu, Real Madrid have lost key defender David Alaba to an injury.
Close to the 40th-minute mark, Alaba went down on the ground clutching his leg and appeared to be in quite a bit of discomfort.
Soon enough, the medical staff arrived to take a look at the Austrian and seconds later he was off the pitch and straight towards the tunnel.
Lucas Vazquez came on to replace the injured Alaba, with Nacho Fernandez moving into the centre-back position alongside Antonio Rudiger.
Alaba’s injury leaves Carlo Ancelotti with just two fit centre-backs in Rudiger and Nacho, which is set to be a matter of great concern.
The hope will be that Alaba’s condition is nothing serious and that he is able to mount a quick recovery.
