From white legend to condemned in one season. That has been the trajectory of Lucas Vázquez in a season in which Real Madrid has been far from performing as expected. Last Sunday in El Clásico against Barça, the Whites gave up LaLiga, the last title they could win after being knocked out of the Champions League and losing the Copa del Rey final to the Azulgranas.
In Sunday’s game, several players were singled out, including the Galician full-back, who has become accustomed to criticism throughout the season due to his poor performance. Throughout the season, he has missed passes that seemed easy, looked very unsure and has given away a lot in defense, as was the case in El Clásico, where he gifted Barcelona their fourth goal. Raphinha’s goal left Madrid with no options and gave LaLiga to Barça. With this scenario, the decision not to renew Lucas Vázquez’s contract has been more than made within the team.
The arrival of Alexander-Arnold condemns him
The player has been singled out all season and his hypothetical continuity, already decided solely on his performance, has been sealed with the confirmation of Trent Alexander-Arnold’s arrival at Real Madrid. With the Galician out of the equation, the right side of the defense will be for the English player and Dani Carvajal, who is finishing his recovery after a ligament tear.
There has been speculation for weeks about the possibility of an extension to his contract, which expires on June 30, so that Lucas Vázquez can play in the World Cup with Real Madrid. This remains to be seen, as Arnold’s arrival is expected on June 1 and the captain’s return is expected for the tournament. Xabi Alonso will have to decide, depending on how he sees the Leganés player, whether or not he needs the Galician at Real Madrid.
Lucas Vázquez’s future options
Lucas Vázquez’s future at the Santiago Bernabéu has been decided. His departure will be one of the highlights of the end of the season for the Whites, and the full-back is already thinking about his future away from Real Madrid. Although Madrid values his contribution on and off the pitch, they do not consider him an undisputed starter at right-back and believe it is best to part ways.
There are several options for his future both inside and outside LaLiga. According to Real Madrid Confidencial, one of the options for the full-back within LaLiga would be Sevilla, who are in a difficult situation and are looking for experienced players who require little investment, which would make Vázquez a perfect fit. Rumors in recent months have also mentioned the possible interest of teams such as Espanyol and Mallorca in signing the Real Madrid player this summer.
However, it seems that the most likely possibility is that the Curtis native will head abroad. The preferred option for the player, who will turn 34 this summer, is in Saudi Arabia. There, interest has been shown in the player, with Al-Qadisiyah being the club that has shown the most interest in the Galician footballer.
The club coached by Michel González is home to former Real Madrid player Nacho, a close friend of Lucas Vázquez, with whom he shared many minutes in the Real Madrid defense in recent years. There is talk of an offer from Al-Qadisiyah for two seasons, with an annual salary of over €15 million.