Real Madrid News
Real Madrid schedule contract renewal talks with 34-year-old veteran superstar
Real Madrid have started the season in solid fashion, winning four of the five games they have played so far across the Champions League and La Liga.
Apart from a minor blip against Real Betis in the league, which they lost 1-0, Mourinho’s side have won all four games so far.
One of the main reasons Madrid emerged victorious against Inter Milan was the incredible performance from goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.
The Belgian kept out several of the Italian side’s attacks to ensure that Madrid emerged victorious 2-1 on the night.
Now, according to El Larguero, Madrid are planning to address the Belgian superstar’s future and are set to open talks with him over a new contract in the coming weeks.
Madrid want Courtois to continue
Courtois’ current deal expires on 30 June 2027, and the proposal being considered would extend his stay at the Santiago Bernabeu for one additional season.
These planned talks underline the confidence Madrid continue to have in their experienced goalkeeper despite his age.
Courtois has been one of the defining players of Madrid’s recent era, and his importance has gone beyond simply producing saves.
His experience, authority and ability to perform under pressure have made him a major presence in the team.
The one-year extension would also fit a sensible approach given the Belgian’s stage of his career.
Rather than making an unnecessarily long commitment, Madrid can keep an elite goalkeeper while continuing to evaluate the position season by season.
That puts both parties in a comfortable position. Madrid can judge Courtois based on his performances next season.
The 34-year-old himself could decide he is done with football at the top level and look to finish his career elsewhere.
He has already decided that he won’t be featuring for Belgium in the upcoming Nations League but with a view of returning ahead of the Euros.
Courtois remains central to Madrid
For Jose Mourinho, retaining experienced figures alongside Madrid’s increasingly young squad also carries obvious value.
The club invested heavily in reshaping the squad during the summer, and Courtois is one of those senior figures who can help the squad through the transition period.
There are few players in the world who understand the demands of the Bernabeu and the Champions League better than the Belgian.
Madrid will eventually need to think seriously about succession in goal, but there is little reason to accelerate that process while Courtois continues performing at the required level.
It remains to be seen how extension talks with the Belgian progress and whether Courtois signs a one-year extension with Madrid in the coming weeks.
Real Madrid opted to renew Antonio Rudiger’s contract this past summer to keep him at the club for one more season.
The 33-year-old veteran defender, though, has not been performing at his best, with physical problems taking their toll and age starting to catch up with him.
As such, the expectation is that Los Blancos will not extend his contract again when his current one expires on 30 June 2027.
Tottenham eye Antonio Rudiger
And, according to reports relayed by AS, Premier League giants Tottenham Hotspur are plotting a free-transfer swoop to sign Rudiger in the summer of next year.
The north London club are understood to be keen on reinforcing their backline next year and see the German defender as an option, given his experience in the Premier League and the fact that he would be available for free in the summer.
So far this season, Rudiger has played only five games for Real Madrid, amounting to a total of 396 minutes.
The 33-year-old has even chipped in with two goals, including the all-important winner in the 4-3 comeback victory over AS Roma on Wednesday night.
Time to move on?
Despite Rudiger being a hugely respected figure in the Real Madrid locker room, he is currently the third-choice centre-back for Jose Mourinho.
After all, summer signing Ibrahima Konate and Dean Huijsen have been preferred by the manager so far in the new season.
Moreover, with Eder Militao set to return imminently after a lengthy injury layoff, Rudiger’s game-time could be impacted further.
Given the situation and factoring in Real Madrid’s plans to sign another centre-back next summer, it is pretty much evident that Rudiger does not feature in the club’s plans for beyond this season.
As such, a separation of ways seems pretty likely when his contract expires, and Tottenham are now positioning themselves as early suitors to sign Rudiger as a free agent in 2027.
