Real Madrid News
Saudi Arabia could come calling for €25 million-rated Real Madrid defender – report
Ferland Mendy is one of four players Real Madrid are trying to sell this summer, along with Andriy Lunin, Jesus Vallejo, and Alvaro Odriozola.
The 28-year-old left-back has been at the club since 2019, when he joined from Olympique Lyon for a fee of €50 million.
But after a frustrating 2022/23 campaign during which he struggled with injuries and poor form, Real Madrid are seriously contemplating the option of selling him, especially with Fran Garcia also arriving this summer.
As such, Mendy could be on the move in the coming weeks, and according to Cadena SER (h/t Mundo Deportivo) the left-back has a good reputation in Saudi Arabia, who could weigh up the possibility of making a move for him.
Saudi Arabia have been making all the waves in the summer market, having signed several high-profile players from top European teams, including former Real Madrid captain Karim Benzema, who joined Al Ittihad.
Stars like N’Golo Kante, Ruben Neves, Kalidou Koulibaly, and Edouard Mendy have also moved to clubs in the Middle Eastern nation while more, such as Marcelo Brozovic and Hakim Ziyech, could follow soon.
And Mendy could be another possible target for the oil-rich nation given that he is an unwanted commodity at Real Madrid and is available for a transfer.
Mendy, whose market value stands at €25 million, has two years left on his contract with Los Blancos. And while he is said to be seeking a new deal, the club are looking to offload him.
A sale to Saudi Arabia would appeal to Real Madrid as they would have a good chance to recoup most of the €50 million they spent on him in 2019. Furthermore, Mendy, too, could receive a lucrative contract offer.
For now, there are no concrete movements on this front, but the Frenchman has a good reputation in Saudi and the possibility of a move exists.
Real Madrid News
Mourinho sticks to his Champions League tradition ahead of Real Madrid’s clash vs AS Roma
Real Madrid are set to take on AS Roma in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday in Italy.
Having returned from the international break with a 1-0 win over Villarreal, Los Blancos will be eager to build on it and record their second win in Europe, after beating Inter Milan last month.
Mourinho continues his tradition
And, as reported by Diario AS, the Real Madrid squad trained at Valdebebas before travelling for their Champions League fixture, just as they did during Jose Mourinho’s first spell in charge between 2010 and 2013.
The approach breaks with the usual Champions League routine of training at the opposition’s stadium on the eve of a match.
Real Madrid had largely remained an exception to this trend. Mourinho was the first to change the club’s established procedure, but after his departure in 2013, the routine had returned.
Now, the club are going back to the approach he introduced. Following the training session, the squad will fly to Rome in the afternoon.
Xabi Alonso and Arbeloa followed the same approach
Xabi Alonso revived the practice last season in order to avoid giving direct access to his team’s preparations to the opposition. After Alonso’s dismissal, Alvaro Arbeloa continued the practice.
The team travel to the opposition’s stadium for the press conference, but otherwise complete their preparations at Valdebebas before flying out a few hours later.
Exceptions are made when the journey is too long to make the routine practical, as was the case with Almaty. Rome, however, is a relatively short trip, allowing Mourinho to maintain his preferred schedule.
Real Madrid’s flight is expected to depart at around 15:00, with the pre-match press conference scheduled for 18:00 at the Stadio Olimpico.
Four expected absentees
There were no new injury concerns, with Real Madrid set to travel without four players, all of whom were already expected to miss the match.
Eder Militao has returned to group training but still needs time to regain match fitness. Meanwhile, Raul Asencio remains unavailable after undergoing surgery for a fracture in his right tibia.
Ferland Mendy is also back training with his teammates but is expected to need slightly longer than Militao before returning to action. Rodrygo remains a long-term absentee.
