Real Madrid News
Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe to play in different position under Zinedine Zidane – report
The Zinedine Zidane era with the French national team is set to begin, with the Real Madrid icon taking over from Didier Deschamps for the next cycle.
It has now emerged that the former Los Blancos manager has already made an important tactical decision involving Kylian Mbappe.
According to Diario AS, Zidane privately spoke with Mbappe before announcing his first France squad and told his captain that he intends to use him from the left rather than as a No. 9.
Zidane has a different plan for Mbappe
Zidane also hinted at the change publicly.
“Mbappe will be my captain. He can play in all three attacking positions. Personally, I like him more on the left,” Zidane said.
The idea is to give Mbappe greater freedom and space to receive the ball before attacking defenders, rather than asking him to spend so much time operating as a conventional centre-forward.
It is hardly an unfamiliar position. Mbappe has made 32 appearances for France from the left since his international debut, producing 21 goals and 16 assists from that role.
His last competitive France appearance starting there came against Spain in the Euro 2024 semi-final.
An interesting development for Real Madrid
Since joining Madrid in 2024, Mbappe has operated predominantly as the No. 9.
That solution has allowed him and Vinicius Junior to coexist, even if both players naturally prefer attacking from the left.
On paper, it might seem to be working for Madrid, but the average position map against Atletico Madrid showed both players overlapping on the pitch.
That makes Zidane’s decision particularly interesting from a Madrid perspective. France have the luxury of potentially using Ousmane Dembele centrally.
Real Madrid face a more complicated equation because moving Mbappe permanently left would put him directly into Vinicius’ preferred territory.
Something for Mourinho to consider?
It is highly unlikely that Jose Mourinho copies Zidane and moves Mbappe to the left, but there are games where this solution may be worth exploring.
The Portuguese tactician could choose to play Mbappe from the left and start Carlos Espi as the natural No. 9.
Against certain teams where a conventional striker can add a fresh dimension, Los Blancos should be open enough to trying this out.
The flip side of this would be that Mourinho would have to leave Vinicius on the bench, and that is something the Brazilian might not necessarily be happy about.
It remains to be seen how Mbappe fares on the left for France this international break and whether Mourinho looks to take a leaf out of Zidane’s book at some point this season.
Real Madrid News
Arsenal in contact with Real Madrid forward’s camp over potential transfer – report
Doubts about Rodrygo Goes’ long-term future at Real Madrid having been growing for some time.
The Brazilian’s situation had become uncomfortable over the past couple of seasons as he experienced a sudden decline in form. And, just when it seemed like he was about to turn things around, an ACL injury ruled him out in March earlier this year.
With Rodrygo now facing an extended spell on the sidelines, his recovery will be crucial. He is expected to return in December or January, and the club will monitor how he responds physically before determining what role he will play under Jose Mourinho.
Arsenal keeping tabs on Rodrygo
Now, according to TEAMtalk (h/t Bernabeu Digital), Arsenal are in contact with Rodrygo’s representatives over a potential future move.
The report states that the Gunners had already attempted to sign the Brazilian before his injury, and their interest has now resurfaced ahead of a possible move in the summer of 2027.
The Premier League champions had also explored the possibility of signing Vinicius Jr. from Real Madrid this past summer, before he signed a new long-term contract at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Now, their attention seems to have switched Vinicius’ fellow Brazilian forward who is closing in on his return from the ACL rupture.
Real Madrid want to keep Rodrygo until the summer
As already reported, Rodrygo will not leave Real Madrid in January. The intention is for the winger to regain full fitness and become available to Mourinho for the second half of the season.
Real Madrid are not considering selling the former Santos wonderkid during the January transfer window.
Instead, the club intend to reassess his situation next summer, once he has had the opportunity to recover and demonstrate his form on the pitch.
The plan is to have the Brazilian fit and available for the second half of the campaign before making a final decision at the end of the season.
Rodrygo’s performances after returning from injury, together with Mourinho’s assessment of his role in the squad, will help determine what happens next.
Depending on those factors, Real Madrid could consider allowing him to leave or decide that he still has an important future at the Santiago Bernabeu.
For now, Arsenal’s interest remains a possibility to watch, but Real Madrid are focused on Rodrygo’s recovery rather than negotiating a January departure.
