Real Madrid News
Real Madrid see €30m-rated Valencia defender as potential long-term solution
Carlo Ancelotti was tormented by the lack of depth at centre-back last season and paid the price for it in the form of Real Madrid’s slip-ups across competitions.
After all, Antonio Rudiger was playing through excruciating pain while David Alaba and Eder Militao spent more time injured than fit.
The arrival of Dean Huijsen, however, relieves pressure on the department to an extent. Even in that case, there is an equally strong stance that the men in white need at least one more player in the position going ahead this season.
The La Liga option
Los Blancos have been linked with several big names in the central defensive position in recent weeks with Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konate and Arsenal’s William Saliba standing out as seriously promising options.
Now, as relayed by Real Madrid Confidencial, however, Valencia’s Cristhian Mosquera has emerged as a strong candidate to reinforce the back-line and is a name Xabi Alonso approves.
Like Konate, he is a player who ends his contract in June 2026, giving Real Madrid a golden chance to pursue him on a free transfer next summer. After all, it has been the Galacticos’ trend in recent years to follow free agents more closely.
Despite being just 20 years of age, Mosquera is seen as one of La Liga’s most promising defenders and Alonso sees a lot of value in acquiring his services now. Moreover, it will be relatively simple to pull off given Valencia’s economic situation.
The Mestalla-based club are expected to show minimal resistance to letting go of the defender given their need to sell players. The youngster is rated at €30 million and a fee around that ball-park could prove sufficient.
*Player valuation in title obtained from transfermarkt.com on date of publication.
After three successive wins to start the season, a 1-0 loss to Real Betis came as a reality check for Real Madrid, who are still some way off matching the quality and consistency of Barcelona.
In light of the defeat, the Real Madrid coaching staff is analysing the best way to get the most out of the current setup.
More expected from Valverde
According to Defensa Central, one of the key conclusions drawn from the Betis defeat is that Real Madrid need greater involvement from Federico Valverde with the ball.
The Uruguayan has been deployed as the pivot, largely due to the absence of the injured Aurelien Tchouameni, but he is yet to make the step up in quality the team requires from that role.
While his effort and commitment are never in doubt, Mourinho and his staff, led by Sami Khedira, feel Valverde spends too much time positioned behind the opposition’s midfield line.
As a result, he fails to offer passing lanes to his teammates when they are under pressure, forcing them into hurried, aimless clearances rather than playing out cleanly from the back.
That concern has already been communicated to Valverde, who is still adapting to a position he has never truly played, making the challenge all the more difficult for him.
A collective issue to fix
However, the problem is not Valverde’s alone, with the coaching staff identifying a wider issue in the team’s structure.
Khedira has reportedly noted a certain passivity from the attackers in the videos of the match, particularly Vinicius Jr and Kylian Mbappe, when it comes to offering themselves as the ball transitions from midfield into attacking areas.
That lack of movement compounds the difficulties for the deeper midfielders.
Mourinho, for his part, remains unfazed by the departure of Rodri to Barcelona, insisting his squad has the tools to cope.
“I’m not missing Rodri. We have solutions, we have quality,” the Portuguese said, before adding that he backs his ability to improve players.
With a Champions League opener against Inter Milan on the horizon, Mourinho and his staff will be keen to iron out these issues quickly.
