Real Madrid News
Real Madrid veteran’s renewal at a complete standstill, MLS talks held
According to The Athletic, Real Madrid defender Nacho Fernandez could be on his way out in the summer as talks over a new contract have come to a complete standstill.
The 32-year-old is one of the very few active one-club footballers in the game currently. But his contract with Real Madrid stands to expire at the end of the season.
While it was believed that he would sign a new deal a few months ago, the scenario has seemingly changed of late.
As per the report, the feedback that Nacho’s camp have been receiving from the Merengues is not positive at all, leading to aspersions over his continuity at the Santiago Bernabeu beyond the current campaign.
Talks are understood to have come to a total standstill, leaving the Spaniard to explore other possible opportunities for the summer.
The report suggests that Nacho has interest from a long-time suitor in Spain along with clubs from the other big leagues, while he is also fielding offers from teams in Saudi Arabia.
However, in case Nacho was to leave the club this summer, Major League Soccer (MLS) could be his next favoured destination, with the report stating that talks have already been held in that direction.
A product of the Real Madrid academy, Nacho has been on the club’s books for longer than two decades. While never a permanent fixture in the side, the 32-year-old has always been an important squad player due to his versatility, commitment, and leadership.
But, as things stand, his renewal looks unlikely and a summer exit could be on the cards, with MLS emerging as a possible destination.
As for the Merengues, they could look to bring in a new defender in the summer, with Josko Gvardiol of RB Leipzig a target for the club.
There is no way back for Eden Hazard at Real Madrid. The Belgian international has not given the management any reason to have faith in his abilities over his past four seasons at the club and is unsurprisingly the most important departure for the Merengues in the summer.
Hazard has one more year on his contract in Madrid. However, it is clear that Carlo Ancelotti does not trust him and that any potential replacement manager in the summer will echo his stance.
According to reports from Mundo Deportivo, Fenerbahce are willing to go all out to sign Hazard this summer. The Turkish side have made the former Chelsea their prime target, yet face a steep task ahead of them.
The 32-year-old is hellbent on seeing out his contract with Los Blancos despite seeing his career sink right before his eyes. It thus becomes complicated for the party to lure away the forward, especially in a competition outside Europe’s top five leagues.
Fenerbahce attempted to sign the winger in the recently concluded winter transfer market. They reached an agreement with Real Madrid but failed to get over the line as they could not convince the player of the move.
The biggest obstacle for the Turkish side will be convincing Hazard to make the move by letting go of his lucrative contract in Madrid. The chances are slim, but not impossible.
Hazard has made just three league appearances and one start for Ancelotti’s side this season in La Liga, a steep fall from last season’s 18 and seven respectively.
His last appearance for the team came back in January when Real Madrid faced Cacereno in the Copa del Rey. In La Liga however, he last played in September 2022 in a 4-1 win over Mallorca.
