Real Madrid News
Several Premier League clubs interested in exit-linked Real Madrid star – Romano
Real Madrid’s pre-season is set to begin today, and one of the first-team players who will be working with Jose Mourinho from day one is Eduardo Camavinga.
The French midfielder has not enjoyed the best years of his career recently and has had a lot of ups and downs in terms of both form and fitness.
As a result of his inconsistency and dip in form, Los Blancos have labelled him as a transferable player for the ongoing summer transfer window as they look to generate funds to continue their arrival operations.
In recent weeks, however, matters have seemingly cooled down and the intensity of exit rumours have taken a step back.
Much in demand
As reported by Fabrizio Romano now, Camavinga is in high demand and there are several clubs, especially from the Premier League, who have lined up as potential suitors at his doorstep.
However, the player wants to stay despite interest from England and succeed at Real Madrid, whatever the cost.
The club have not directly asked the player to leave this summer yet, although it is rumoured that Jose Mourinho has spoken to the player and informed him that he has other options placed higher on his pecking order.
A lot, needless to say, will depend on the feeling with Jose Mourinho once the duo actually start working together this week.
If a departure is to be worked out, there is a need to transparently inform the star and push for the same at the earliest.
Mourinho’s primary objective
With most of Real Madrid’s midfield mainstays not returning for most of the pre-season campaign, Camavinga will be in the limelight for a few weeks under Jose Mourinho’s command.
What the player shows the manager first-hand, and what the ‘Special One’ makes of the player’s profile, will decide everything about Camavinga’s future.
As matters stand, Real Madrid have not made any new midfield signings barring Bernardo Silva but there is word that Mourinho is looking for one more creative profile.
For such an operation to open, however, the club need a sale and Camavinga is the best-placed as matters stand. In any case, Los Blancos must look to settle the saga in a matter of weeks.
Real Madrid’s adventure so far under new coach Jose Mourinho has been far from perfect and this fact shouldn’t be lost even after the team’s brilliant comeback win over AS Roma in midweek.
However, there are areas where Los Blancos have shown a clear improvement under Mourinho, when compared to previous bosses such as Xabi Alonso and Alvaro Arbeloa.
One of those areas has been set plays, with Real Madrid appearing far more potent from set pieces this season.
A clear improvement from last season
As reported by Diario AS, the three goals in Rome, all from Arda Guler corners inside a seven-minute blitz, were the perfect advert for the work being done at Valdebebas.
Those strikes took Real Madrid’s set-piece tally to seven goals in just ten matches this season. Four of them have come in La Liga, one from a corner and three from free kicks, with the trio in Rome completing the haul.
It is a striking figure when set against last season’s return. Under Alonso and Arbeloa, Madrid managed 12 set-piece goals across the entire campaign, all in La Liga, split evenly between six from corners and six from free kicks.
On current trends, this side looks well placed to surpass that number comfortably.
The reason behind Real Madrid’s improvement
Attacking set pieces are led at Valdebebas by Pedro Machado, with the whole coaching staff involved and Mourinho himself giving the final green light on every routine.
Defending them, meanwhile, falls to Sami Khedira, though it is treated as a collective effort. Mourinho’s appreciation of that teamwork was clear when Bellingham headed in a Guler free kick against Espanyol, prompting the manager to leap up and embrace his assistants.
Machado, one of Mourinho’s most trusted lieutenants, has followed him from Fenerbahce to Benfica and now Madrid, part of a backroom team blending experience with young, ambitious talent.
On the pitch, Guler is the undisputed master when available, his left foot the key weapon, with Bernardo Silva, Trent Alexander-Arnold and even Diomande also trusted to initiate attacks.
Such meticulous strategy has helped Real Madrid turn into a potent side from set-pieces this season.
