Real Madrid News
Real Madrid refused the chance to sign €70 million Manchester City defender this winter
Joao Cancelo’s fallout with Manchester City and subsequent move to Bayern Munich has become one of the biggest talking points of the current transfer window. The right-back is one of the best in the world in his position, and a loan move mid-season is not something many saw coming.
According to reports from ABC (h/t The Madrid Zone), the Bavarians were not the only club to be offered his signature. The Spanish outlet state that Cancelo’s agent offered his client’s services to Real Madrid too, but the European champions were not interested.
The Galacticos have been very clear about their policy of not signing any players in the winter, with Carlo Ancelotti even stressing the point in several of his press conferences. However, the decision to let go of such a massive opportunity is perplexing.
Real Madrid have struggled in the right-back department in recent games, having lost both Daniel Carvajal and Lucas Vasquez to injuries.
Ancelotti was forced to use Nacho Fernandez as a make-shift full-back to navigate through the situation. Yet, it seems that was not enough to convince the board of the need for fresh legs.
The 28-year-old made 17 appearances for Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City in the Premier League this season. He scored two goals and provided one assist in that duration, in addition to overseeing four clean sheets and over nine defensive actions per game.
Cancelo joined Bayern Munich earlier today on a loan move. The Germans have the option to make a move permanent in the summer for a fee of €70 million. Perhaps, it was the mammoth purchase clause that deterred Real Madrid from the Portuguese international’s signing. That, however, will remain a mystery.
Real Madrid fans were dealt with a massive blow when star player Antonio Rudiger was left out of the squad against Real Valladolid, allegedly due to knee discomfort.
The injury sparked fears over his absence in the upcoming Copa Del Rey semifinal against Barcelona.
However, according to a report from Sergio Quirante, Rudiger’s knee injury is not thought to be serious. It appears the decision to leave him out of the squad against Valladolid may only be a precaution, with the defender set to undergo ultrasonic tests tomorrow.
Rudiger, whose injury scare came just 48 hours before Real Madrid’s big game against Barcelona, has been a stellar success in the club’s backline this season.
The German international has emerged as a real leader at the back, using his experience and authority to good effect. Although Real Madrid’s defence has left a lot to be desired this season, Rudiger has been one of the bright sparks.
His potential absence, therefore, could serve as a major blow for Los Blancos, in their hopes to reach the Copa Del Rey semifinal next week.
Real Madrid are heading into this semifinal with a 1-0 defeat in the first leg, meaning keeping a clean sheet could be mandatory if they are to overturn the deficit and book a place in the final. Rudiger, in that regard, could prove to be a vital asset.
In the meantime, Real Madrid are heading into the Valladolid game with David Alaba and Eder Militao as two of the only reliable centre-backs in the team. Among the two, Alaba has struggled with injuries this season, so it will be interesting to see how Carlo Ancelotti deals with this tricky situation this afternoon.
