❗️Mats Hummels will be on Real Madrid's radar if they eventually decide to sign a centre-back. He is a free angent waiting for an attractive offer. Carlo Ancelotti likes his profile.— @Gazzetta_it pic.twitter.com/5f3V1VXMXk— Madrid Universal (@MadridUniversal) July 23, 2024
I'm not a big Hummels guy and I'm not particularly thrilled about the idea...as a rotational CB on a one year contract, I suppose you could do worse...
I'm operating under the pretense that, one a one year contract at a new club with a whole bunch of established locker room figures, that would keep him in check. He wouldn't be the big dog in the locker room here that he was at Dortmund, he obviously wouldn't have the clout. Of course I could be drastically wrong.
🚨 JUST IN: Real Madrid had internal talks about the situation of Laporte. However, this is seen complicated. @TheAthleticFC pic.twitter.com/X3ZRt4h1pU— Madrid Xtra (@MadridXtra) July 23, 2024 🚨 BREAKING: Real Madrid want to finalise Ferland Mendy’s renewal in coming DAYS. @jfelixdiaz pic.twitter.com/6AJoJRF84k— Madrid Xtra (@MadridXtra) July 23, 2024 🚨 Ferland Mendy is CLOSE to renewing! @jfelixdiaz pic.twitter.com/aEEJs8nbdY— Madrid Xtra (@MadridXtra) July 23, 2024 ❗️Ferland Mendy is happy in Madrid. He feels valued and wants to stay. @jfelixdiaz pic.twitter.com/ESJohaMxF5— Madrid Xtra (@MadridXtra) July 23, 2024 ❗️ If Alphonso Davies does NOT renew, the month of August will be the time to raise the topic. @jfelixdiaz pic.twitter.com/XM2IUM90lM— Madrid Xtra (@MadridXtra) July 23, 2024
Get Davies, sign one year deal for Ramos\Hummel\Laporte and one young RB that's all. we are ready to fcuk Farcelona & oil City
The Athletic: According to Madrid sources, who will remain anonymous to protect relationships, Yoro was the ‘only name on the table’ in terms of signings. However, other players have been considered and, as The Athletic have already reported, one of those players was from Serie A. There were internal talks at the club last week about the situation of Al Nassr’s Aymeric Laporte, who won Euro 2024 with Spain. However, the 30-year-old defender is seen as a complicated option. Al Nassr sources consulted by The Athletic, who have been kept anonymous to protect relationships, deny any contact between the clubs and explain that, although they believe the agreement between the clubs would be simple, Laporte’s net salary is around €20million per season, which might be prohibitive for Madrid. Those same people at Al Nassr say Laporte intended to leave last season and was tempted by the idea of joining a club like Madrid, but that finances are a big obstacle to any switch.
Guillermo Rai from Athletic on Lunin situation: After becoming one of the sensations of last season, the Ukrainian goalkeeper wants to continue in a leading role. The return of Thibaut Courtois from injury closes the door to Lunin, whose agent Jorge Mendes has been looking at the Premier League among other options. Lunin has a contract until 2025 and was close to renewing until 2029. That is why Madrid would want a fee if Lunin is to leave this summer, but it is complicated because other clubs know Lunin will not play much next season if he stays.
If the fee is small, Lunin can ride the bench for one more year and can leave for free for all i care. The other side of the story is a year in the bench would lower his stock for him as well in terms of interests he will generate. Fk JM.
It will be interesting to see how the CB situation unfolds..key weeks ahead You can understand the strategy when the club didn't replace Benzema opting to wait a year to get Mbappe on a free (I personally didn't think it'll happen) But with the CB, it doesn't seem like we have anyone on the list. Yoro was groomed for years according to some outlets, so what now? Are we going to hear that the club is looking for a market opportunity, someone young but not too young, established but under 29, moderately priced but not over €25m? You could see what the plan was with #9, but with the CB it doesn't seem like we have one. I'd love to see Ramos calling Perez. Pepe is too old though somehow still one of the best CBs in Europe. Hummels is injury prone, so is Varane. Our own Mario Gila could be a decent option but I don't know the terms of his buy-back if any. My preferred choice? Hijack Calafiori for €45mil. I think it's an ok price. He isn't likely to start at Arsenal with Saliba and Gabriel as first choice CBs either. We have +70 games, Alaba is done and I am not optimistic about Militao from what I saw in the Copa. Mendy's injury track record is worrisome and Calafiori can play at LB.
We might not rate Calafiori as a defender. He's pretty on the ball and all the hype started due to that vs Albania. Mou berating him and other back up options who had to play during injury situation after 6-1 loss doesn't sound reassuring either. Mou always loved good defenders. Calafiori barely played whole on loan at Genoa after that as well and had to go to Swiss League. Laporte is an interesting option if he's willing to reduce his salary to around 8 ME nett. There were reports around March that he wants to return to Europe and was open to Athletic Bilbao move. No veteran options like Alaba, Rudiger on the market in upcoming years. VVD's contract expires next summer, but he'd be 34 and more likely to stay at Pool than join RM as free agent. Scalvini had an ACL in June so I reckon Serie A defender Athletic mentioned won't be him.
Could be one of Jose's miscalculations e.g. Salah and KdB. Time will tell. I saw him play for Bologna a few times, good CB/LB. Maybe @Hendrix22 has a better view. I don't see any player leaving the Saudi Pro League back to Europe.
I really wonder if Hincapié is part of Operation Xabi, although that's at least a year away and not likely to help us this upcoming season.
The EPL destroyed the other European leagues with their marketing. No wonder why they were SO against the Super League; they secretly built one but with only English clubs.
Best league in the world where we rarely win any international tournaments, our national team never wins, and our players don’t win Ballon D’Or but we are the best by FAR
It's only the best league when it finances. Quite embarrassingly poor when it comes to performances in European competition, especially in the Europa and Conference League. Furthermore, the other European leagues done a really good job destroying themselves. Whilst England was clamping down on hooliganism, hooligans and corrupt official were running Serie A. Spain, to this day, is plagued by racism which is seemingly accepted by Spanish society and La Liga itself. English clubs modernised and spread the wealth a lot more to a point where former and somewhat recent La Liga winners Valencia (with their logo that hasn't been amended in 100 years) have to sell their best players to newly promoted Premier League teams. PSG completely destroyed the balance of Ligue 1 (and probably a lot of interest in the league at the same time) and Bayern continually plucked the best players domestically.
Bayern haven't cleaned up the league in a while though, mostly because the high tier prospects just play elsewhere in Europe now. Back in the day players were scared of not being considered for the national team if they leave the Country.