Real Madrid News
Real Madrid summer signing has strong chance of starting La Liga opener against Espanyol
One of the first signings that Real Madrid made at the beginning of the summer transfer window was agreeing a deal with Inter Milan to sign Denzel Dumfries.
Although the signing was not officially announced until after the Netherlands’ World Cup campaign, he was one of Madrid’s first bets for the new project.
Los Blancos had seen Dani Carvajal leave at the end of last season and needed a right-back for the vacant slot.
The club already had Trent Alexander-Arnold in that position, but the Englishman had endured a difficult first season in Spain.
Now, according to Mario Cortegana on the Athletic, the 30-year-old has a good chance of making Jose Mourinho’s starting XI in the league opener despite being signed primarily to compete with Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Dumfries could get first major opportunity
Real Madrid moved quickly for Dumfries in July, activating his €20 million release clause at Inter.
The Netherlands international arrived with significant experience, having become a regular for the Netherlands and featured in two Champions League finals with Inter.
That pedigree is one of the main reasons Madrid viewed him as such an attractive addition.
Dumfries can operate as both a traditional right-back and a wing-back, giving Mourinho a more physical and direct option on the flank compared to Alexander-Arnold.
Mourinho prefers Trent profile, but competition is real
The Portuguese coach is said to naturally prefer a player with Trent’s technical profile but undecided on who his starting right back is.
Trent offers more in terms of playmaking, passing range and build-up from deeper areas, qualities Mourinho has already experimented with throughout pre-season.
However, that does not mean Dumfries will be limited to a secondary role.
The former Inter defender is expected to receive significant minutes, and his athleticism, defensive intensity and ability to attack the box could make him the better option in certain matches.
That appears to be the case heading into the Espanyol game.
A horses-for-courses right-back selection
One of the most interesting themes of Madrid’s pre-season has been the competition on the right side of defence.
Mourinho has alternated between Trent and Dumfries, and there have even been stretches where both played together, with Dumfries pushed further forward.
That flexibility means the battle is not necessarily about one player permanently replacing the other.
Instead, Mourinho could use both depending on the opponent and the game state, in a horses-for-courses formula.
Trent’s versatility also helps Dumfries
Trent’s ability to play in multiple positions, including midfield, also helps Dumfries’ route to minutes at right-back.
More importantly, if Jose ever decided to move to a back-five system with wing-backs, the Dutchman would become a natural fit in that role.
The Espanyol game should provide the first meaningful indication of Mourinho’s thinking and how he plans to use Dumfries.
It remains to be seen how Trent and Dumfries rotate for minutes throughout the course of the upcoming campaign.
According to TeamTalk, Real Madrid have joined the growing list of clubs monitoring Gabriel Rajkovic, a 15-year-old winger whose rapid development at Valerenga has already attracted attention from several of Europe’s leading sides.
The Merengues are known for keeping an eye on exciting young talent across the globe and it seems that Rajkovic’s exploits in Norway, with the first team, have alerted them.
Real Madrid keeping tabs on Rajkovic
As per the report, Real Madrid are among a host of clubs closely following the progress of the young forward.
Rajkovic holds both Norwegian and Serbian nationality and has emerged as one of the most promising young players in Norway.
His development has not gone unnoticed, with Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund also understood to be monitoring him.
However, at this point, it is Arsenal and Chelsea, who are understood to be leading the charge for Rajkovic, having compiled a detailed dossier on the teenage prodigy after extensive scouting.
On top of that, the likes of Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur have all watched Rajkovic in recent weeks.
Real Madrid could therefore face significant competition if they decide to step up their interest in a player who has already made an impression at senior level.
Making an impact at just 15
Rajkovic was handed a promotion to the Valerenga first-team squad in January earlier this year, when he was only 14 years old.
Following that, he signed a new contract with the club in March, when he turned 15, committing to the club until 2028.
Despite being only 15, the winger has already begun gaining experience in first-team football. In all, he has made 14 senior appearances for the Norwegian outfit, scoring three and assisting one goal.
Rajkovic has also represented Norway Under-16s, making two appearances and scoring once despite being younger than many of his teammates.
Those numbers become more impressive when his age and stage of development are taken into account.
Real Madrid have built a reputation for identifying young talent well before players reach their peak, and Rajkovic has now emerged as another name on their scouting radar.
But given the number of clubs in the race, signing the teenage wonderkid will not be easy.
