Real Madrid News
Real Madrid weighing up move for Serie A hitman, loan deal could cost €15-20 million
After a hiatus of weeks, reports of Real Madrid’s hunt to sign a striker finally returned to the headlines on Thursday. Unsurprisingly, the men in white are still eyeing options on the market to reinforce the forward line, contrary to reports earlier this month.
Kylian Mbappe is the favourite, and most preferred option for Florentino Perez. However, with his arrival looking closer to being postponed to next season, there is the need for a short-term fix at least.
According to reports from Calcio Mercato, Dusan Vlahovic is one of the names Real Madrid maintain on the table. Given that his price tag stands at close to €90 million, a permanent transfer is not seen as feasible at the moment. However, there are interesting alternatives in Perez’s mind.
Los Blancos are reportedly looking into the possibility of bringing Vlahovic on a season-long loan instead. It would include a fee of around €15 to €20 million with the option to make it permanent in the summer for a larger amount.
The formula almost appears too good to be true. After all, signing a player with a track record like the Serbian’s for just one season until Mbappe arrives would be the ideal situation for Real Madrid. Moreover, the club will also have an option to buy, giving the player an incentive to produce his best.
The Juventus star is no stranger to playing at the highest level. In 27 Serie A appearances for the Old Lady last season, he scored ten goals and provided two assists with an average of 2.5 shots per game.
The focus lights now fall on the Turin-based side to see how they react to the proposition of loaning out their best player for a season. Clearly, it will not be a simple affair.
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.
