Real Madrid has been clear from the outset that it needed to strengthen its left side of defense. This area of the pitch has not been well covered throughout the season under Carlo Ancelotti, and action had to be taken. The club made a decision and opted for Álvaro Carreras, but negotiations for his signing were not easy, and he was unable to join before the World Cup. Now, talks with Benfica have resumed and another player could be added to the equation to finally resolve the negotiations with a tough Benfica.
Álvaro Carreras and a complex negotiation
Real Madrid has had an obvious problem all season at left back. For Carlo Ancelotti, the starter in this position was Ferland Mendy, who has had an inconsistent season, in and out of the infirmary. His teammate in that position was Fran García, who did not have the backing of a coach who preferred to opt for Camavinga for that position. This situation led the Whites to explore the market, where Álvaro Carreras was ultimately chosen.
The Galician full-back is an old acquaintance of the Merengue club, having come through its youth academy after arriving from Deportivo de la Coruña. The player’s profile appeals to the Whites, who believe he would fit in perfectly with Xabi Alonso’s style of play. Carreras did not hesitate for a moment and quickly accepted the offer from the Whites, but his current club, Benfica, did not.
The deal did not go through because the Portuguese side did not want to lower the €50 million release clause, while Real Madrid did not want to go above €35-40 million to sign the player. This was confirmed by the president of the Portuguese club, who said, “There were offers we didn’t like. So far, we haven’t received any that we like. We’ll see what happens with the market later on.”
Negotiations resume
Benfica has now finished its participation in the Club World Cup, and Real Madrid believes that it is time to resume negotiations so that the player can be under his new coach as soon as possible. According to the newspaper Marca, the positions between Benfica and Real Madrid have come closer in the last few hours, and this week could be decisive in reaching an agreement.
A key factor has come into play to convince the reluctant Portuguese side. We are talking about youth player Rafael Obrador, who could enter the equation. According to Fabrizio Romano, the Real Madrid youth player, who has been on loan at Deportivo this season, could be the key to the deal. The left-back would join Benfica in exchange for Álvaro Carreras. Real Madrid, however, would retain an option to buy him in the future.
This is a new possible destination for the young full-back, who has done well at Riazor, with the blue and white team wanting to keep him, although they are aware of the competition. Beyond Benfica, which is now entering the scene, according to Sky Sports Italia a few days ago, Genoa is interested in signing the Campos full-back. As we said, in all cases, the departure is no longer in the form of a loan but a transfer with an option to buy.