Real Madrid Transfer News Roundup: Los Blancos suffer Kylian Mbappe blow; club agree Kepa Arrizabalaga deal, and more - August 13, 2023
Real Madrid secured a 2-0 win over Athletic Club on Saturday (August 12) at the San Mames Barria Stadium in their La Liga opener. Rodrygo Goes and Jude Bellingham found the back of the net as Madrid made a positive start to their new campaign.
Meanwhile, Los Blancos have suffered a blow in their attempts to sign Paris Saint-Germain striker Kylian Mbappe. Elsewhere, the Spanish giants have agreed a deal to sign Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga on loan.
On that note, here's a look at the key Real Madrid transfer stories as on August 13, 2023:
Real Madrid suffer Kylian Mbappe blow
Real Madrid have suffered a setback in their plans to sign Kylian Mbappe. According to Canal+, Paris Saint-Germain are set to begin another round of talks with the Frenchman to tie him down to a new deal. There’s a quiet optimism at the Parc des Princes that the player is willing to end speculation regarding his future and sign a new deal.
Los Blancos are hoping to sign the player on a Bosman move next year, when Mbappe’s contract is due to expire. However, it now appears that the player isn’t entirely against a new deal in Paris. The La Liga giants experienced a similar situation last summer when the 24-year-old performed a late U-turn to turn them down.
There’s already talk that history could be repeated this year. The Parisians were eager to offload the player this summer after his refusal to sign a new deal. Real Madrid opted not to submit an official offer, preferring instead to wait in hopes of lapping him up for free in 2024. However, that decision could come back to haunt the La Liga giants.
Los Blancos agree Kepa Arrizabalaga deal
Real Madrid have agreed a deal with Chelsea to take Kepa Arrizabalaga on loan, according to AS.
The La Liga giants have been thrust into the market for a new goalkeeper following Thibaut Courtois' unfortunate ACL injury. The Belgian could miss around six months of action, which is a huge setback to Los Blancos’ plans this season.
Ancelotti has Andriy Lunin as a backup option, but there remain questions regarding the Ukrainian’s ability to sustain an entire campaign as the No. 1. As such, Real Madrid have moved quickly to secure Kepa on a temporary deal.
The Spaniard was wanted at Bayern Munich but turned down a move to the Allianz Arena in favour of joining the La Liga giants.
Jude Bellingham pleased with winning start to new campaign
Jude Bellingham is delighted with a winning start to the new campaign against Athletic Bilbao on Saturday.
The Englishman made his competitive debut for Real Madrid this weekend and marked the occasion with a goal. Los Blancos had fought off stiff competition to secure the signature of the 20-year-old from Borussia Dortmund this summer.
Bellingham’s performances in pre-season have shown that he's going to a key player for Ancelotti. The Englishman was also in his element on Saturday. After the win, as cited by Madrid Universal, the 20-year-old heaped praise on his teammates.
“This match was very special for me, and the most important thing is the victory. I was fortunate to score. It’s three points to start the season with.
"We dominated and made a lot of chances. In the second half, we found it a bit difficult, and we had to battle. We defended and played really well on the counter-attack, and we could’ve scored more goals,” said Bellingham.
He continued:
“If you shoot, you have a chance to score. I didn’t connect well with the ball, but I was fortunate that it went in, and it came off. I really enjoy playing with my teammates because of what they do with and without the ball.
"It’s a pleasure to be with them, and it makes me smile to play with them. I’m very pleased with the win and the goal.”
Bellingham was also wanted by Liverpool and Chelsea, among others, this summer.