Latest news with #SantiagoSolari
New York Times
3 days ago
- Business
- New York Times
Real Madrid Transfer DealSheet: Summer window latest, key targets and likely exits
A summer of change is well under way at Real Madrid. Carlo Ancelotti has been replaced as coach by Xabi Alonso, defenders Dean Huijsen and Trent Alexander-Arnold have joined and Madrid are working on a possible deal for Benfica left-back Alvaro Carreras. There could be more to come too, as Madrid move on from a regular season in which they won none of La Liga, the Champions League or the Copa del Rey. This month's revamped Club World Cup in the United States offers them a chance to get back to winning ways under new coach Alonso — but where will Madrid be looking to strengthen further this summer? Here, we answer some of the key questions about Madrid's transfer window. At Madrid, the final — and most important — decision is always taken by club president Florentino Perez. But other voices are influential too. One of those is Juni Calafat, the man in charge of Madrid's recruitment who has been responsible for signing talented young players such as Vinicius Junior, Federico Valverde and Jude Bellingham in recent years. Chief executive Jose Angel Sanchez is responsible for conducting negotiations and closing deals. The former Madrid player and ex-interim coach Santiago Solari has been involved in these processes in recent years after returning as director of football in 2022. Those four key figures have now been joined by Alonso, who is playing an active role in improving the squad. 'We have talked about things and they are agreed,' Alonso said in his first press conference as Madrid coach. 'There are others that affect me more directly. As of today, I'm already here to make decisions and decide things.' At his old club Bayer Leverkusen, sources — who, like all those cited in this article, asked to remain anonymous to protect relationships — say he was important in calling players to convince them to join. Advertisement Madrid moved quickly to reinforce their squad with promising players in all positions in which they have suffered injuries or have ageing players. Last week, Madrid secured Alexander-Arnold's long-expected signing from Liverpool — paying a fee of €10million (£8.4m, $11.4m) to have the right-back available for them for the whole of the Club World Cup when he could have joined for free after the tournament. Dani Carvajal has said he is expecting to return from his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury at the Club World Cup, although this remains to be seen. Until Alexander-Arnold's arrival, Lucas Vazquez was the only player available to Alonso in that position. He is ready to leave after the Club World Cup, hence Madrid's urgency in bringing forward this deal. The club also signed centre-back Huijsen from Bournemouth in a club-record £50m deal for a defender. This was another necessary move given Antonio Rudiger, David Alaba and Eder Militao are all out with injury. All of them are expected to play some role in the U.S. — with although this is less clear with Militao — but the 20-year-old Spain international strengthens a weakened area of the team. Rudiger and Alaba are not expected to be fit for the start of the tournament. There are two further deals which could be done before the Club World Cup. Madrid are in talks with Benfica for their former academy left-back Carreras, who would cost around €50m. The 22-year-old Spaniard is their first option in this position, but sources involved in negotiations believe it will not be an easy deal as they say Carreras' former club Manchester United have an option to buy the player, which could be worth up to €20m — although voices at United played down this prospect. They do have a sell-on clause as part of the deal that took him to Benfica in 2024 which is worth 20 per cent of any fee above the £5m Benfica bought him for. Advertisement If Madrid do not sign Carreras, the club is considering other alternatives such as Leverkusen's Alejandro Grimaldo. Madrid could also look to the market for a midfielder. They have been looking at strengthening in that position for some time after Toni Kroos' surprise retirement last year and the departure of Luka Modric, who will leave after the Club World Cup. 'We always want to improve and since recently I want to have that communication with the club,' Alonso said at his presentation, without going into details of what he was looking for. 'The squad is very good and now it's not that I'm coming to you with demands but with the idea of wanting to improve.' The two signings who have already joined have met some of Alonso's priorities. But he will be happier if a left-back also arrives, with reinforcements in other positions being considered Apart from defence, another name to watch is Nico Paz. The 20-year-old Como midfielder came through the ranks at Madrid and Los Blancos have a €8m buy-back clause for him (it would rise to €9m in 2026 and €10m in 2027 if they do not trigger it this summer). That was part of the deal when he left Madrid last summer, when they sold the Argentina international for €6m with a first refusal to re-sign him and buy-back clauses. Como have worked to try and remove the clause this season, but Madrid hold the negotiating power and will make the final decision on Paz's future. At this stage, Madrid executives have yet to communicate their intentions to Como but they are considering triggering the clause. Goalkeeper Andriy Lunin has a contract until 2030 that he signed last year, but voices in his camp think he deserves greater prominence and are exploring other options. That happened last summer before the Ukrainian renewed his deal but Madrid and the player did not receive an appealing offer — which could influence his future again this summer. He has told Valdebebas sources he intends to stay. Advertisement Left-back Fran Garcia was closely followed by Alonso at Leverkusen. But the possible arrival of a new player in his position means the 25-year-old could fall further down the pecking order. His priority is to stay, but sources at Madrid's Valdebebas training ground are starting to doubt whether that will be possible. Clubs including Bournemouth have previously shown an interest in the Spaniard and whether he stays could be impacted by what his fellow left-back Ferland Mendy does. Mendy has a deal until 2027 but has been injured for much of the season. The case of Rodrygo is complicated. The Brazilian did not play in the last few games of the season but the club did not publish a medical report explaining his absence as they usually do with their injured players. Premier League teams have shown an interest in him, with Kylian Mbappe's arrival last summer having reduced his role. Alonso backed Rodrygo when asked about the forward during his post-presentation press conference. 'He is a Madrid player and I will have a conversation with all of them,' he said. 'He is a spectacular player and we will need him.' According to sources close to Rodrygo, he wants to speak to the club and Alonso before he makes a decision. Some players have already left. Jesus Vallejo departed as his contract was not renewed before the Club World Cup, with the 28-year-old defender assessing his options and thinking about Major League Soccer as a potential destination. Vazquez and Modric are set to leave after the tournament in the United States. In Modric's case this was made official before the last game of the La Liga season but Vazquez also received an emotional send-off at the Bernabeu. Both want to continue competing at the highest level. It has become increasingly rare for Madrid to send players on loan as they do not feel as if they are guaranteed playing time — especially when it comes to youngsters or academy graduates who have to progress. Advertisement The club have tended to opt for selling players while inserting buy-back clauses and rights of first refusals in their deals, as was the case with Paz. Sources at Valdebebas believe there are players from the club's reserve Castilla side who could leave in this way this summer, including strikers Victor Munoz and Gonzalo Garcia. They have attracted interest from La Liga clubs and those abroad as well. (Top photos: Getty Images)
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Real Madrid 17-year-old starlet could make it to the squad for FIFA Club World Cup
Real Madrid 17-year-old starlet could make it to the squad for FIFA Club World Cup Joan Martinez was one of the main novelties of the pre-season for Real Madrid last summer. But the young La Fabrica talent suffered an ACL injury right after the US tour, ruling him out of action for a prolonged period. It was a significant setback for the youngster considering that he was likely in for a first-team spot this season with manager Carlo Ancelotti rating him very highly. Advertisement Having undergone surgery and completed his rigorous rehabilitation over past eight to nine months, Martinez is now back in training with the Real Madrid Juvenil A outfit, reports AS. A Club World Cup spot beckons? In fact, the report even states that Martinez making it to the Real Madrid squad for the FIFA Club World Cup in the summer is a possibility, even if it is a difficult one. The teenager is back and training normally with Arbeloa's Juvenil A side. He had been seen resuming ball work a few weeks ago, but now he is fully integrated into the team dynamic. The next step is clear: to gain minutes on the pitch in a competitive setting. Advertisement With the regular season over, Juvenil A are now focused on the Copa de Campeones, a tournament featuring the champions of all the División de Honor groups (and the two best runners-up). At most, it consists of only three matches. Then there is Raul Gonzalez's Castilla side, who are short on central defenders in their playoff battle and could use someone of Martinez's talents. Santiago Solari to hold the key Santiago Solari will lead Real Madrid at the Club World Cup. (Photo by) As for the FIFA Club World Cup with the Real Madrid first-team setup, it is seen as a truly difficult target, but not impossible for Martinez. If Ancelotti were to remain in charge, the teenager's chances would increase significantly as the Italian manager has shown a clear preference for the young defender. Advertisement However, as previously reported, the plan is for Ancelotti to step down after the league campaign, with Santiago Solari expected to lead the team in the Club World Cup while waiting for Xabi Alonso to take over. Solari is well acquainted with the entire academy and could include Martinez, even if only with limited chances to play so as to support his ongoing integration into the first team.
Forbes
18-04-2025
- Sport
- Forbes
Who Would Replace Carlo Ancelotti As Real Madrid Coach This Season?
Following Champions League elimination at the hands of Arsenal, Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti is under immense pressure. It seems inevitable that his days in charge of Los Blancos are coming to an end, but that could be sooner even than many expected. Sky Sports claim that the Italian could even leave Real Madrid this month, following the conclusion of the Copa del Rey final against FC Barcelona on April 26th, should the result not go in Real Madrid's favor. As such, the reigning La Liga and Champions League champions would be looking for a new coach to take over. President Florentino Pérez has not appointed a new coach mid-season since 2019, when Santiago Solari was replaced by Zinedine Zidane, and was not expected to make such a decision this season either. The recent struggles of the team, eliminated from Europe and four points off the top of the La Liga table, could persuade him to change his mind. Whoever comes in, it is unlikely that they would be a permanent replacement for Ancelotti. The favorite for that role continues to be Bayer Leverkusen's Xabi Alonso, who has shown no sign of favoring an imminent exit from Germany and could be reluctant to take over immediately before the Club World Cup this summer. As a result, the club could instead look for a short-term fix to see the team through the end of the league campaign and through this summer's tournament. With that scenario, it is likely that Pérez would turn to one of his trusted men from within the club's existing set-up. The current coach of Castilla, Real Madrid's B-team, Raúl knows all about the pressure of Real Madrid having captained the club for almost a decade through the 2000s as their iconic forward. He is widely expected to leave Castilla this summer in search of a first-team opportunity after a poor start to the season with a younger and weakened squad, but he has done well to stabilize their campaign and keep them in Primera RFEF, the third tier of Spanish soccer. His appointment would be the most logical given his existing role, but it seems that the frictions between him and Pérez, dating back to his playing days, could make the promotion to the first team less likely. A former first-team coach on a similar, interim, basis, Santiago Solari has remained at the club and not taking on any other coaching roles since his stint in charge ended in 2019. He replaced Julen Lopetegui in the disappointing 2018/19 campaign and was credited with the introduction of Vinícius Júnior into the first team for the first time, winnning a European Super Cup during his time in the role. Solari's 32 games in charge during that run could prepare him well, having won 22 of those, while his experience coaching in Mexico with CF América could also boost his chances of helping the team in the Club World Cup. The least likely of the three candidates could be Álvaro Arbeloa. The former right-back also played for Liverpool, Deportivo La Coruña and West Ham during his playing career, but is best remember for featuring 238 times for Real Madrid, almost all between 2009 and 2016. Now working with the club's youth teams, he caught the eye with a remarkably successful campaign last season which saw the team win the UEFA Youth League as well as dominate domestically. Arbeloa is highly-rated within the club and is well-liked by those in charge, maintaining strong relationships with many key figures at the club ever since he took up a coaching role.
