Real Madrid News
Real Madrid ready to offer €50 million for ‘non-transferable’ Tottenham ace
Real Madrid appeared set to sign Leny Yoro from LOSC Lille this summer in order to address their lack of depth in the centre-back department, but saw the youngster choose Manchester United instead.
Having already allowed Rafa Marin and Nacho Fernandez to leave, Los Blancos are now left with only Antonio Rudiger, Eder Militao, and the currently injured David Alaba as the frontline centre-backs.
While Jesus Vallejo is back from loan, he is dealing with his own physical problems, forcing Carlo Ancelotti to count on young, inexperienced prospects like Joan Martinez, Jacobo Ramon, and Raul Asencio.
Real Madrid willing to spend €50 million on Cristian Romero
Given the situation, reports emerged recently claiming that Real Madrid had taken an interest in Tottenham and Argentina defender Cristian Romero.
Building on that, Doble Amarilla reports that Real Madrid have already made enquiries with Tottenham for Romero and are prepared to offer €50 million for his signing.
However, the Premier League club have let the reigning Spanish and European champions that the Argentine international is ‘non-transferable’.
Romero, 26, has been with the North London club for three years now and has grown into an important player, even being promoted to the status of vice-captain last season.
The centre-half has also tasted immense success with Argentina, winning two Copa America titles and the FIFA World Cup 2022.
A top player, it is not a surprise that Tottenham consider him non-transferable. Even if they were open to a sale, it would be impossible that the Lilywhites would accept just €50 million for Romero, considering his contract runs until 2027.
So, while Real Madrid might admire the Argentine international any transfer for him looks extremely unlikely this summer.
Real Madrid’s adventure so far under new coach Jose Mourinho has been far from perfect and this fact shouldn’t be lost even after the team’s brilliant comeback win over AS Roma in midweek.
However, there are areas where Los Blancos have shown a clear improvement under Mourinho, when compared to previous bosses such as Xabi Alonso and Alvaro Arbeloa.
One of those areas has been set plays, with Real Madrid appearing far more potent from set pieces this season.
A clear improvement from last season
As reported by Diario AS, the three goals in Rome, all from Arda Guler corners inside a seven-minute blitz, were the perfect advert for the work being done at Valdebebas.
Those strikes took Real Madrid’s set-piece tally to seven goals in just ten matches this season. Four of them have come in La Liga, one from a corner and three from free kicks, with the trio in Rome completing the haul.
It is a striking figure when set against last season’s return. Under Alonso and Arbeloa, Madrid managed 12 set-piece goals across the entire campaign, all in La Liga, split evenly between six from corners and six from free kicks.
On current trends, this side looks well placed to surpass that number comfortably.
The reason behind Real Madrid’s improvement
Attacking set pieces are led at Valdebebas by Pedro Machado, with the whole coaching staff involved and Mourinho himself giving the final green light on every routine.
Defending them, meanwhile, falls to Sami Khedira, though it is treated as a collective effort. Mourinho’s appreciation of that teamwork was clear when Bellingham headed in a Guler free kick against Espanyol, prompting the manager to leap up and embrace his assistants.
Machado, one of Mourinho’s most trusted lieutenants, has followed him from Fenerbahce to Benfica and now Madrid, part of a backroom team blending experience with young, ambitious talent.
On the pitch, Guler is the undisputed master when available, his left foot the key weapon, with Bernardo Silva, Trent Alexander-Arnold and even Diomande also trusted to initiate attacks.
Such meticulous strategy has helped Real Madrid turn into a potent side from set-pieces this season.
