Carlo Ancelotti makes late request to Real Madrid veteran to overturn his decision on future: Reports
Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti has made a late request to club veteran and captain Nacho Fernandez to change his decision to leave the club this summer. The 34-year-old's contract at the Santiago Bernabeu has come to an end but the club have offered the long-time defender a renewal.
Nacho reportedly intends to make the move across the pond to the United States, where he can continue to ply his trade in the MLS till he retires. There have also been rumors about a potential move to the Middle East, where he can play alongside Cristiano Ronaldo in Saudi Arabia.
However, these moves have not panned out for different reasons, and now, according to Football Espana, Carlo Ancelotti has pleaded with Nacho to stay at the club.
The defender's original decision to leave was due to losing his spot in the pecking order, as he was benched while Aurelien Tchouameni played in center-back ahead of him.
However, after being trusted in the UEFA Champions League, where he actively helped Los Blancos win their 15th trophy by playing 12 games, he is uncertain about leaving. It also has not helped that the options he thought he had in other leagues have not worked out as he might have expected.
This could potentially see Nacho stay at the club, with Ancelotti clearly valuing the Real Madrid captain's presence on the pitch and in the dressing room.
Former Monaco striker reveals potential disruption of Real Madrid's new signing
With Kylian Mbappe now the latest signing for Real Madrid, there have been questions about how he might gel with the squad. The 25-year-old's former teammate Radamel Falcao has spoken about these issues in a press conference with Nike.
The legendary Colombian striker revealed (via Forbes):
"The problem is for the coach. Obviously, the team has won everything this season, and with his arrival, they will surely dominate more. If everything is in order and in harmony, they're going to dominate more. It's going to be more difficult for the defenders."
Falcao went on to wish Mbappe well with his new club, adding:
"He has all the ability to succeed and I hope he does well and fulfills his dreams. He generally made very good decisions, which is what makes the difference in the elite. That surprised me at that age."
Kylian Mbappe will hope he can exceed expectations at Real Madrid, especially after snubbing them in 2022 and staying another two years in Paris Saint-Germain.