Real Madrid News
Real Madrid remains calm: Kylian Mbappe will become their player
After months of reports stating the Frenchman’s desire to move to the Bernabeu, Los Blancos’ faithful were made to believe that the deal was virtually closed.
The feeling was so strong that the whole stadium chanted the World Cup winner’s name when he came to play against Real Madrid in the Champions League last month.
When French media outlets suggested a possible renewal for Kylian Mbappe at Paris-Saint Germain last week, hell broke loose in the city of Madrid.
According to reports from Jose Felix Diaz, however, the Madrid-based club remain calm with respect to Mbappe’s situation. They feel there is no turning back when it comes to the Frenchman. There is confidence in the club offices that he will be a Real Madrid player next season.
Yet, it remains to be seen if the player is still satisfied with the offer on the table from Spain. After witnessing the desperation on PSG’s side to seal his renewal, Mbappe’s entourage could look to capitalise on the situation and command a larger salary.
PSG have upgraded their signing bonus to a whopping €150 million and propose to make him the captain if a renewal is agreed. Now, all eyes are on Florentino Perez to see if he improves his offer.
Earlier this week, Mbappe was asked about the prospect of continuing alongside Lionel Messi and Neymar Jr next season.
“I’ve already answered. Messi and Neymar have been here since July. I’ve had time, I’ve seen them many times (laughs),” said the world-cup winner.
The statement is a clear message to the Real Madrid administration that the player has not had a change of heart. The ball is now in Los Blancos’ court.
After a month into the new season, Aurelien Tchouameni is finally back in action for Real Madrid.
The Frenchman made his first appearance of the season for the Merengues last night against Inter Milan after recovering from the muscular injury that delayed his campaign.
His return to fitness had raised questions over where he would fit into Mourinho’s plans.
Tchouameni has been a regular in Real Madrid’s midfield for several seasons under different managers, but the end of last season was far less straightforward.
His confrontation with Federico Valverde, combined with speculation over his future at the club, created uncertainty about his position. His lack of a proper pre-season also appeared to put him behind other midfield options.
Bernardo Silva had established himself as an important figure, while Eduardo Camavinga was also ahead of Tchouameni in terms of match fitness.
With Real Madrid looking for greater creativity in midfield, there were questions over whether the Frenchman would still be a first-choice player.
Key for Mourinho
According to AS (h/t Bernabeu Digital), however, Mourinho has no such doubts. Tchouameni remains a key player for the Portuguese coach and is expected to be a starter.
Mourinho sees the French international as a midfielder without a direct replacement in the squad.
For Jose, Tchouameni provides something that none of the other midfielders in the squad do – a more defensive and positional presence, combining his tactical discipline with considerable physical strength.
His ability to shield the defence and provide balance could be particularly important for a Real Madrid side that want to defend aggressively and attack quickly in transition.
For that reason, his absence at the start of the campaign has not changed the manager’s view of his importance.
Mourinho faces a midfield selection problem
The challenge for Mourinho now is finding a way to fit all the pieces together.
If Tchouameni is guaranteed a starting position and Valverde is considered untouchable as captain, the obvious consequence is that Bernardo could find himself starting from the bench.
The summer arrival had been given an important role in helping Real Madrid control and distribute possession from deeper positions.
However, with Tchouameni and Valverde both occupying midfield places, Mourinho cannot accommodate everyone in the same lineup.
How the Portuguese coach manages that competition will be interesting to see in the coming weeks.
