Real Madrid News
Real Madrid starlet aims to take advantage of the international break to recover match rhythm
The ongoing international break could be a real blessing in disguise for Real Madrid, who have found more questions than answers so far this season.
The club are already trailing Barcelona by six points and coach Jose Mourinho must find answers soon if he wants to get his team back to the top.
Meanwhile, some players will look to utilise the international break to speed up their recovery and get back to the pitch as soon as possible. Thiago Pitarch is the ideal case in point.
A plan to rebuild Pitarch’s fitness
According to MARCA, Real Madrid appear to have devised a plan to get Pitarch back to the pitch after early-season injury woes.
Real Madrid intend for Pitarch to feature for Castilla during the international break, taking advantage of the fact that the first team is not in action.
Pitarch returned to Mourinho’s squad two weeks ago but is yet to feature in any of the four matches against Inter Milan, Rayo Vallecano, Elche and Atletico Madrid.
With Real Madrid not playing again until October 10, the plan is for him to join the reserve side and build up minutes over the coming weeks.
Despite being part of the first-team setup, Pitarch retains a registration with Castilla, and Real Madrid want to use that open door to help him regain full fitness.
He is expected to feature in Castilla’s postponed fixture against Sant Andreu, with the subsidiary having three league commitments during the break that will suit him perfectly.
A three-week express pre-season
In effect, the arrangement gives Pitarch a three-week express pre-season to make up for the preparation he lost through injury.
The midfielder could even supplement his Castilla minutes with international duty, having been called up by Spain’s Under-20 side.
They have a fixture against Mexico on September 30, though that match remains up in the air after the original plan to stage it in Ceuta was cancelled.
The 19-year-old has not played a competitive match for two and a half months, since featuring in Spain’s Under-19 European Championship final on July 11, before his injury struck upon returning to work at Valdebebas.
Mourinho, who blocked Pitarch’s exit in the summer despite interest from Fulham, clearly rates the youngster highly.
Rather than throwing him straight back into first-team action, the coach believes competing with Castilla is the ideal way for Pitarch to rediscover his rhythm and be ready to contribute when club football resumes.
Real Madrid have identified the midfield department as a key area of the squad that needs strengthening next year.
Having failed to sign Rodri this past summer, the Merengues understand that a major signing is necessary in the position.
Several names have already been linked as potential targets for the Spanish capital club, one of whom happens to be AFC Bournemouth rising star Alex Scott.
Indeed, Real Madrid have scouted the England international this season and are continuing to closely monitor his development in the Premier League.
However, competition for the 23-year-old midfielder’s services is already heating up.
AC Milan eye Alex Scott
Indeed, according to Tutto Mercato (h/t AS), Italian giants AC Milan have set their sights on Scott to replace Real Madrid legend Luka Modric next season.
Modric, at 41, is entering the final phase of his career and his contract with the Rossoneri stands to expire at the end of the ongoing campaign.
As such, the Serie A heavyweights will need to rope in a replacement and have seemingly identified Scott, who is also on Real Madrid’s radar, as an option.
Apart from AC Milan, even Chelsea and Liverpool have also shown interest in the 23-year-old England star, and might even be willing to make a move for him in January.
This complicates the situation for Real Madrid, who would ideally wait until the summer of 2027 to reinforce their midfield unit.
€50 million for Scott?
Furthermore, the report states that Scott is valued by Bournemouth at around €50 million, a fee that could be an issue for AC Milan.
That figure, however, should not pose a challenge for Real Madrid. Nonetheless, the increasing competition for the 23-year-old’s services could drive up the price further, making things complicated.
For now, though, Real Madrid’s interest in Scott has been limited to scouting and monitoring his progress and compiling reports on him.
Whether it translates into a formal approach and offer in the summer or in January itself remains to be seen.
