Real Madrid News
Real Madrid’s 21-year-old starlet could leave amid England, Germany, and Belgium interest
Rafa Marin has been regarded as one of the brightest young talents to have come through Real Madrid’s youth ranks in recent years.
The 21-year-old centre-half has been a permanent fixture in the starting XI for Raul Gonzalez’s Castilla outfit that is on the verge of getting promoted to La Liga 2.
But given the competition for sports in the senior team, the Spanish prospect is yet to make his debut for Carlo Ancelotti’s side.
And, as such, AS is reporting that Marin could be on his way out of Real Madrid this summer in light of a lack of a clear pathway to the first-team setup at the Santiago Bernabeu. The youngster is attracting interest from clubs in England, Germany, and Belgium.
Marin’s current contract with Real Madrid expires in 2024. And while talks over a renewal have been ongoing, his future still remains up in the air.
It had been suggested that Marin was prioritising a renewal with Los Blancos. But that could change due to the lack of opportunities with the first team.
As things stand, Ancelotti has Eder Militao, David Alaba, and Antonio Rudiger vying for the starting centre-back spots. On top of that, Nacho Fernandez has also renewed his contract for another year.
Furthermore, even though Real Madrid are looking to sell Jesus Vallejo, the defender does not wish to leave this summer, blocking the way for Marin into the senior setup.
As such, Marin could decide to move on in the summer. Real Madrid have historically sold young talents but done so by inserting buyback clauses in the agreements, a strategy they might follow if the 21-year-old does opt to leave.
Bernardo Silva was one of Real Madrid’s headline signings last summer. The Portuguese midfielder arrived on a free transfer from Manchester City and appeared destined to become the creative successor to Toni Kroos and Luka Modric in the middle of the park.
Indeed, with the club having not signed a new central midfielder, many within Real Madrid saw the veteran star as a solution to the issue.
Manager Jose Mourinho made him a starter from the very beginning in pre-season, but not in his usual role on the right. Instead, he deployed his compatriot as a deep-lying playmaker in the midfield double pivot.
A change in circumstances
Silva failed to have the expected influence when operating in a deeper role in midfield in the chances he got.
Combined with the emergence of Arda Guler and Aurelien Tchouameni’s return to fitness, the Portuguese international has now lost his place in the starting line-up and dropped to the bench.
Bernardo’s situation became particularly striking against Villarreal this past Saturday at the Santiago Bernabeu, when he did not play a single minute.
Limited opportunities under Mourinho
Bernardo has played six matches for Real Madrid, starting three and coming on as a substitute in another three.
He did not feature against Villarreal or Elche, while his only appearance in the last three matches was a little over 10 minutes against Atletico Madrid. He was not used regularly by the Portugal national team during the international break either.
Across Real Madrid’s eight La Liga fixtures, Silva has accumulated just 282 minutes of playing time.
The Champions League now presents another opportunity for the former Manchester City captain, who has yet to make his European debut for Real Madrid this season.
He missed the match against Inter Milan because he was still serving a suspension carried over from his time at the Etihad Stadium last season.
It remains to be seen whether Mourinho will give him an opportunity against AS Roma in the coming week.
For now, the midfielder’s reduced playing time suggests that the Portuguese coach has lost some of his faith in a player who arrived with high expectations after leaving Manchester City.
