Real Madrid News
Real Madrid still looking to offload four players in the summer – report
The Real Madrid squad has a new look to it ahead of the 2023/24 season. Part of the reason is the new signings including Jude Bellingham, Fran Garcia and Joselu, but it is safe to say that the departures have been more significant.
In Marco Asensio and Karim Benzema, Los Blancos lost two starting quality players earlier this month. Mariano Diaz and Eden Hazard followed suit, leaving the team with few options in the final third.
According to reports from Mundo Deportivo, the Merengues have still not closed the exit door. In fact, four players are close to leaving the club this summer.
The first of the four is Ferland Mendy. After his underwhelming and injury-riddled season, the administration realises that they need to explore options beyond the Frenchman for a permanent solution at left-back. He is open to leaving for a French club, but could also be used by Real Madrid as a bargaining chip in another transfer deal.
Alvaro Odriozola’s inclusion on the list will not lift many eyebrows either. The right-back has no place in the team with Dani Carvajal and Lucas Vazquez taking charge as the top options for Carlo Ancelotti. Real Sociedad and Juventus are interested and swift developments can be expected.
Jesus Vallejo is the third player on the list. His contract with Los Blancos runs until 2025, but the Spaniard prefers to stay at Santiago Bernabeu despite his situation. Of the four, Vallejo appears the likeliest to stay, despite the club’s intentions to offload him.
The final player up for sale is Andriy Lunin. He has been starved for minutes playing as a backup to Thibaut Courtois, and the prospect of playing for another club may not appear a bad idea given his age, with the club even drawing up a list of replacements for the Ukrainian.
Real Madrid News
Real Madrid full-back never considered summer exit, would retire at club if given chance
Ferland Mendy finds himself in a difficult situation at Real Madrid. The Frenchman has struggled with injury and fitness woes for a large part of the past year, leading to doubts over his future at the club.
In fact, it had been reported that Los Blancos were considering selling Mendy during the summer transfer window earlier this year itself.
But, such a move did not materialise and the 28-year-old has stayed put at the Santiago Bernabeu although reports suggest that he is likely to be on the move next year.
Mendy would retire at Real Madrid if he could
Despite there having been numerous reports about his future in the summer, The Athletic reports that Mendy did not consider the possibility of an exit at any point.
In fact, the report adds that if given a chance, the 28-year-old defender would retire at Real Madrid.
Mendy’s contract with Los Merengues expires in 2025 and he is understood to be seeking a renewal for a while now, but there has been no move made by the club.
The injuries that the 28-year-old has picked up are understood to be a major deterrent for Real Madrid, which is why they are already looking to reinforce the left-back position with Alphonso Davies next year.
Mendy enjoys Ancelotti’s trust
Despite the non-stop speculations surrounding him, Mendy continues to enjoy the full trust of manager Carlo Ancelotti.
Indeed, as per the report, the Italian tactician has informed the Frenchman that he is the left-back that best fits the defensive requirements needed in the team.
Ancelotti’s decision to bench Fran Garcia in the UEFA Champions League game even though Mendy was unavailable and start David Alaba at left-back was taken as an indicator within the dressing room that the Frenchman remains the first-choice in the position.
So, it remains to be seen how the situation unfolds over the coming months, especially with Ancelotti’s future also uncertain as his contract expires in 2024.
Priyanka Roy
June 27, 2023 at 12:34 pm
All the above stated four are out of their efficacy in the present squad but Andriy Lunin may be considered for his performance in the last season to some extent and he aslo had some experiences…..