While the Real Madrid squad continues its daily routine at the Club World Cup in the United States, the offices in Valdebebas remain a hive of activity as they seek to finalize signings that will ensure a strong squad for next season. The club is still on the hunt for a midfielder and a striker, while the saga of theleft-back seems to have entered its second season after the end of the first chapter before the Club World Cup, with Álvaro Carreras at the center of the plot.
The urgent need for a left-back
Real Madrid continues to search for a replacement for the left-back, and Álvaro Carreras remains the priority. Despite Fran García’s impressive World Cup performance, his level and continuity in the team remain in question. And Mendy, although trusted as a defensive reinforcement when he recovers, is not the starting left-back the team needs. The options available on the market are limited, and the player trained at La Fábrica remains the preferred choice for next season.
Agreement with Álvaro Carreras
According to Eduardo Inda on El Chiringuito, the agreement between Real Madrid and Álvaro Carreras is complete for next season, and Florentino Pérez has already informed Xabi Alonso. Now all that remains is the most difficult part: negotiating with Benfica, who want to sell him for a high price and, at first, have refused to budge ahead of the Club World Cup.
Real Madrid’s strategy
Real Madrid’s idea is for Álvaro Carreras to be a key figure in convincing his current club to let him join the Whites. Pressure from the player could be key, as Florentino Pérez is not willing to pay the player’s release clause, nor is he willing to make the payment in a single installment. The idea is to pay around €35-40 million, but the Portuguese club has already rejected this initial offer because it wants the player for the Club World Cup. The Real Madrid board hopes that they will lower their demands once the championship is over and be open to negotiating a reduction in the transfer fee and accept what they consider a fairer price.
The truth is that the Carreras case is quite striking. In a world where rumors are the order of the day, and players sought after by big clubs usually have more than one option, this is not the case with the Spanish full-back. Only Real Madrid seems to be bidding for this full-back, who arrived at Benfica after failing to make it at Manchester United. This is an unusual case in today’s football, with no competition or suitors, which is raising questions in various quarters. And also at Real Madrid, which is not willing to pay a clause that it considers the player is not worth. It is hard to understand why, if his signing is so necessary, the clause was not paid for the Club World Cup. It is true that Real Madrid is splashing the cash this summer, spending a lot, but Florentino Pérez has not hesitated to pay for Huijsen or Mastantuono, yet he wants to reduce the price of Carreras at all costs, at the risk of losing him.
The Carreras saga continues, and although an agreement could be reached with the player, as Eduardo Inda claims, the most complicated task remains: negotiations with Benfica, which could drag on throughout the summer and could break down if the Portuguese club refuses to lower his release clause.