Vinicius Jr. Enjoys the International Break in Miami
Real Madrid striker Vinicius Jr. posted some photos from his vacation in Miami, USA. The Brazilian is enjoying the break before returning to work in Madrid.
Hugo Larsson to Real Madrid
Hugo Larsson is eager to receive an offer from Real Madrid to finalize his departure
Lunin helps Manchester United close the deal
Whenever Real Madrid needs a player, one way or another, several players end up being linked to Real Madrid. It’s completely normal, because the Real Madrid brand sells a lot. There are agents and players who take advantage of this supposed interest to generate interest from other big clubs, but there are also those who allow themselves to be wooed by Real Madrid to get their call. And one of them could be Larsson, the young Swedish midfielder.
« Going to Saudi Arabia to play for Al-Ittihad? My mother said, ‘No, no, no! You’re not going to do that!’ (…) She has her own dreams for me in Europe. It was interesting to hear the offer and dream a little. The salary was extremely attractive, but I made the decision to stay, » Larsson recently stated when asked about his future and a possible early departure to the Saudi Arabian league.
He also spoke about market prices in today’s football. « You never really understand it. It’s completely crazy. Values are rising more and more, and we see it in every transfer market. We’re living in a bubble. » This is an opinion the player shared with complete sincerity, and it’s something most of the players share.
The Real Madrid dream
Although he didn’t say it literally, the player and his mother’s dream is for him to one day play for Real Madrid, the greatest club in the history of football. They have great admiration for him and know that if they go to Saudi Arabia at such a young age, their sporting career will come to a standstill, as happened to Gabri Veiga, who was the young promise of Celta Vigo. He could have gone to Real Madrid or Barça, but he prioritized money, and now he’s back in Europe, but he’s at Porto.
He’s the other midfielder to join Kees Smith and Adam Wharton on the list of possibilities Madrid is reportedly considering. At the moment, nothing is concrete, and according to the information we have at Sesyfy, Real Madrid isn’t very interested in signing him, although it’s true that they’re closely monitoring him to assess every detail of his game.
The young Brazilian footballer has failed to make his mark in the first team almost since his arrival.
One of the most likely departures from the Santiago Bernabéu dressing room this summer transfer window is Reinier Jesús. Aside from the soap operas involving Rodrygo Goes and Vinícius Jr., the development of the young Brazilian playmaker has been disappointing. Despite his constant play at several top-level clubs, on repeated loans, he never met the expectations he promised.
That’s why the executives led by Florentino Pérez are seriously considering terminating his contract, which has just one season remaining. Reinier Jesús would leave Real Madrid, following in the footsteps of other players who, unfortunately, failed to succeed while defending Real Madrid.
The Belgian winger is perhaps the most high-profile case of recent signings that didn’t work out. His signing from Chelsea in the summer of 2019 was the most expensive transfer in the club’s history: approximately €115 million. The former Real Madrid number 7 was poised to be the natural replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo.
However, his repeated physical problems, coupled with the footballing explosion of Vinícius Jr., effectively cut short any attempt at a comeback in his last two seasons as a Real Madrid player. He left Real Madrid and professional football almost simultaneously, reaching an agreement to terminate his contract in the summer of 2023.
Luka Jovic
The young Serbian striker arrived at the Santiago Bernabéu dressing room in 2019 with the appearance of a promising center-forward. The Real Madrid bosses were looking to secure Karim Benzema’s replacement as soon as possible, sensing the beginning of the end of a glorious era… one that began in the summer of 2018 with the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo.
Arrived from Eintracht Frankfurt for around €60 million, and supported by excellent goalscoring figures during his time with the German squad, he barely played a role in Zinédine Zidane’s second Real Madrid. Carlo Ancelotti’s return in the 2021/22 season also didn’t mark an attempt to regain his stripes as a backup striker, so he was loaned out and then transferred on a free transfer.
Álvaro Odriozola
The same process that led Real Madrid to sign Luka Jovic was responsible for the arrival of Álvaro Odriozola in 2018. The promising Real Sociedad right-back arrived at a difficult time in that position, as Dani Carvajal was the best player on the planet. Despite the €30 million transfer fee, he never became the second-stringer to Leganés’s number two.
Injured during the periods designed to allow him to take center stage, his absence led to Lucas Vázquez’s conversion to right-back and Fede Valverde’s first appearances in that position. Loaned to Bayern Munich and Fiorentina, he returned permanently to Real Sociedad in 2023.
Neither Real Madrid nor Saudi Arabia: Guardiola speaks about his signature
Guardiola makes important decisions that directly affect Real Madrid.
It’s an absolutely definitive decision that Pep Guardiola will not let Rodri leave Manchester City, despite the interest from a large part of Real Madrid in signing the former Ballon d’Or winner. Various British and Catalan media outlets have reported that a Premier League manager is absolutely determined to close the door to the Santiago Bernabéu stadium.
It all started months ago, with Xabi Alonso’s coaching staff finding a need for Real Madrid to add another midfielder. All this at a time when Luka Modric’s departure was finally made official, and where rumors of Dani Ceballos’s possible departure were going to leave the Madrid club’s new strategist practically brainless when it comes to his midfield. Rodri is the only one who generates consensus among the coaching staff and a board of directors led by Florentino Pérez, who believes that a good portion of the necessary investments have already been made to succeed this season.
In Manchester, they know in advance that Real Madrid would be delighted to welcome Rodri, even after the painful cruciate ligament tear that kept him out of much of last season, both in English competitions and, of course, in a Champions League where Guardiola’s team saw its worst performance since arriving in the top flight of British football. At this point, the doors are closed, awaiting the arrival of the summer of 2026, when the player will be entering the final year of his contract with the last great dominator of the English Premier League.
Rodri is liked by Florentino and Alonso.
He is the only player so far understood to have the « star » tagline that Real Madrid are signing, which could cost and justify the €100 million deal that many are demanding when it comes to the midfield. We’re talking about a born leader in the best league in the world, and of course, in a Spanish national team that already won the last European Championship, and where no one denies that a large part of the Spanish national team’s performance in recent years has been linked to his performance and leadership.
Rodri won’t cost less than 100 million.
This is the price Real Madrid understand they will have to pay for the player, even when he reaches the final year of his contract with Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City. This is a price that Real Madrid would, of course, honor the value the player has built throughout his career. It’s the only sum that Valdebebas understands a team like Manchester City could accept, a club that is a state-owned company in every sense of the word. Let’s not forget that this is a club of state in every sense. There will be new developments by 2026.
Asencio’s situation with Xabi Alonso is complicated: the key points regarding his future at Real Madrid
Asencio’s performance at the World Cup could have prompted a radical change at Real Madrid regarding the center-back
Real Madrid continues working in the offices at a completely normal pace. Slowly, but surely. While the first-team players continue enjoying their vacations—they will return to Valdebebas on August 4—the sporting planning doesn’t take breaks or interruptions, and at Concha Espina, they have reportedly begun to draw several conclusions. This is what the Club World Cup has served to achieve, above all, as Xabi Alonso made his debut and with which many things could change in the future, starting with Raúl Asencio.
Asencio’s situation with Xabi Alonso is complicated: the key points regarding his future at Real Madrid
Asencio’s performance at the World Cup could have prompted a radical change at Real Madrid regarding the center-back
Raúl Asencio now has serious doubts about continuing at Real Madrid, with whom he recently renewed his contract.
Raúl Asencio now has serious doubts about continuing at Real Madrid, with whom he recently renewed his contract.
Real Madrid continues working in the offices at a completely normal pace. Slowly, but steadily. While the first-team players continue enjoying their vacations they will return to Valdebebas on August the sporting planning does not take into account breaks or interruptions, and at Concha Espina, they have reportedly begun to draw several conclusions. This is what the Club World Cup has served to achieve, above all, as Xabi Alonso made his debut and with which many things could change in the future, starting with Raúl Asencio.
As we have already reported in Defensa Central, Alonso is not happy with Asencio’s performance at the World Cup. The youth player, who successfully replaced Éder Militao in November after the Brazilian re-torn his cruciate ligament in one of his knees, committed a penalty in the team’s first match in the FIFA World Cup in the United States against Al-Hilal (1-1) and in the following match, against Pachuca of Mexico (3-1), was sent off after seven minutes.
The circumstances, therefore, are not comfortable for Asencio. Xabi has no confidence in the Canary Islander, who turned 22 last February and until recently was seen as one of La Fábrica’s most promising defenders. The Canary Islander has gone from being an undisputed defensive player to being more than a questionable prospect, and it’s not ruled out that the coach is pushing for the club to sign a reliable center back this summer. It’s a request Alonso made weeks ago, along with the reinforcement of a difference-making midfielder.
Alonso’s anger with Asencio was already evident in the second match of the World Cup, when he was sent off. « He’s sad, disappointed, but these are things you have to learn from. It’s better to concede a goal than to be down to ten men. Asencio shouldn’t have made that mistake. We’ll talk to him, » acknowledged the Tolosa native, who praised the team’s efforts in playing with one man less. Earlier, in Madrid’s debut in the « new » tournament, Xabi replaced Asencio after an avoidable penalty—and one that was severely punished—although he claimed a virus affecting the defender.
Asencio is renewed
Asencio’s main problem is that Madrid decided to renew his contract a few weeks ago after his excellent season. Carlo Ancelotti entrusted him, along with Antonio Rüdiger, with the lynchpin of the defense, and he was one of the best players. Florentino Pérez was generous and kept his word. Furthermore, given the interest from several teams, both in Spain and abroad, he extended his contract until 2031, with a €1 billion buyout clause and a significant pay raise.
Huijsen Isn’t Enough
Xabi, to whom Madrid promised several reinforcements before the World Cup and kept their word, bringing in Dean Huijsen, among others, believes the Spanish international isn’t enough. The coach is counting on Éder Militao, who got another start against PSG in the World Cup (4-0) after eight months of being knocked out, but against a back three, the math doesn’t lie, and one member is missing. Aurelién Tchouameni can be that third defender, as he has already demonstrated, but Alonso would prefer a number four.
Konaté and Saliba, the chosen ones
Madrid has been combing the market and has been preparing several moves for months to continue bolstering the level of its squad. Specifically, the Merengue club has set its sights on both Ibrahima Konaté and William Saliba. At 26 and 24 years old, respectively, the Liverpool and Arsenal players are the best fit for Xabi Alonso’s demands to the Santiago Bernabéu’s top flight. Konaté’s contract expires in 2026, and Saliba’s contract expires a year later.
Right now, according to ‘OkDiario’, Xabi could be pushing for Madrid to sign Konaté. Liverpool would have the last chance to get some money for a player who is expected to leave as a free agent next year, especially given that he has already rejected three offers to remain at Anfield. Chamartín could offer €25 million for the Frenchman, but that would fall far short of the Reds’ expectations. Even so, as we’ve been reporting in this newspaper, the plan is to wait until 2026 to sign Konaté, although anything could happen, especially with Asencio in the fold.
