Real Madrid Transfer News Roundup: Los Blancos eyeing Liverpool star, Nacho Fernandez unhappy at Santiago Bernabeu, and more - May 4, 2024
Real Madrid are a step away from winning the La Liga title this season. Carlo Ancelotti's team welcome Cadiz to the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday, May 4, and can have one hand on the trophy with a win.
Meanwhile, Los Blancos are interested in Trent Alexander-Arnold. Elsewhere, Nacho Fernandez feels neglected at the club.
On that note, let's look at the major Real Madrid transfer stories from May 4, 2024.
Real Madrid eyeing Trent Alexander-Arnold
Real Madrid are planning to take Trent Alexander-Arnold to the Santiago Bernabeu this summer, according to Nacional. The English right-back's contract with Liverpool is set to expire in 2025 and he is yet to commit his future to the club. Alexander-Arnold has been one of the finest in his position in recent years and his efforts have turned heads at Los Blancos.
The Spanish side are putting together succession plans for Dani Carvajal, who is already on the wrong side of 30. The right-back has been a fantastic servant for the club over the years but is expected to slow down soon. Carlo Ancelotti has apparently identified Alexander-Arnold as a candidate who can fill Carvajal's boots at the club.
The Englishman has made 307 appearances for the Merseyside club in his career, registering 19 goals and 81 assists. His ultra-attacking approach makes the 25-year-old a fine fit in the Italian manager's tactics at Real Madrid. Club president Florentino Perez is already considering a cut-price move for Alexander-Arnold this summer. The La Liga giants are hoping to get a deal done for €60m.
Nacho Fernandez unhappy at Santiago Bernabeu
Nacho Fernandez is unhappy with how he has been recently treated by Real Madrid, according to Relevo. The Spanish defender's contract with the club expires at the end of this season and he has apparently decided to leave this summer. Nacho spent his entire playing career with the La Liga giants, registering 357 appearances so far.
While the player has never been a first-team regular, he has been a fantastic backup option for the club. However, he is unimpressed by some of Carlo Ancelotti's decisions this season, which has ultimately caused him to seek alternate avenues. The player is particularly miffed by the Italian manager's preference to play Aurelien Tchouameni ahead of him in defense in some of the biggest games of the season.
The 34-year-old was also frustrated by the manager's decision to replace him with Eduardo Camavinga during the Champions League semi-final first-leg game (2-2) against Bayern Munich on April 30. The incident proved that he is no longer indispensable to Los Blancos' plans. Nacho feels neglected and believes he hasn't been given the respect he deserves. As such, he will move on to greener pastures at the end of the season.
Former player backs Virgil van Dijk to join Los Blancos
Former Liverpool midfielder Graeme Souness believes Real Madrid will jump at the opportunity to sign Virgil van Dijk this summer. The Dutchman is one of the finest defenders of his generation and has been key to the Red's recent success. However, his contract with the Merseyside club is due to expire in just over a year and he hasn't signed an extension yet.
Speaking on the Three Up Front podcast, Souness said the 32-year-old could be considering his options ahead of the summer.
"The fact that the end of his contract is coming up worries me. He’s 33 in July, and if his agent were to call up the sporting director at Real Madrid, they’d take him. I just look at him now and the noise he’s been making, which he hasn’t done throughout his career, and I think he’s obviously unhappy,” said Souness.
Los Blancos are looking for defensive reinforcements at the moment, but are likely to invest in younger talents this summer.