REAL MADRID EYE RUBEN NEVES DEAL: MANCHESTER UNITED’S TOP MIDFIELD TARGET UNDER SERIOUS THREAT
Real Madrid have entered the race for Ruben Neves, threatening Manchester United’s plans to secure the Al-Hilal star this January.
Reports say Man Utd was set to grab Al-Hilal midfielder Ruben Neves in January, but Real Madrid has now jumped into the mix.
Despite a shaky performance lately, with only two wins in their last seven games, the Red Devils are somehow holding onto sixth place in the Premier League table.
After a bad first season that saw Man Utd finish 15th, Amorim wants to get the team into a European spot this season.
INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe backed Amorim in the summer, spending over £200m on five new players.
However, fans and former players were annoyed that Man Utd didn't bring in a new midfielder, especially since that position caused issues last season.
It looks like they might get their wish in January. There's talk that Man Utd will for sure sign a new midfielder, but big signings might have to wait until the summer.
That's why Neves is so appealing to Man Utd. Players like him and Atletico Madrid’s Conor Gallagher wouldn't cost as much as guys like Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson and Brighton’s Carlos Baleba.
But now, getting Neves just became tougher for the Red Devils. A Spanish website, Fichajes, claims that Real Madrid is trying to steal the deal.
Apparently, Man Utd was the favourite to sign the Portuguese player, but a new club has appeared that might mess everything up.
Real Madrid has supposedly entered the race for Neves, as they know this is a rare chance.
Neves's contract is up in the summer, and Al-Hilal knows that January might be their last shot to make some money off of him.
The report says that those close to the player haven't ruled out a quick return to European football. At 28, Rúben Neves thinks he's still good enough to play in a top European league. He wants to get back to a more competitive setting, especially with the World Cup and other international games coming up.
Al Hilal is supposedly okay with selling him this winter if they get a decent offer. They don't want to lose a big player for nothing, which means negotiations could happen fast in the next few weeks.
Man Utd is still a serious contender for Neves, but Real Madrid getting involved just made things harder.
THIBAUT COURTOIS CLEARED TO START EL CLáSICO AFTER RECOVERING FROM INJURY
Thibaut Courtois will return for Real Madrid in Sunday's El Clásico, but Ferland Mendy is sidelined for five months with an injury.
Looks like Thibaut Courtois is finally set to make his return for Real Madrid in Sunday’s El Clásico, which would be his first match since March 17. Courtois injured his thigh during the Champions League clash with Manchester City and hasn’t played since. Madrid really missed him; they managed just one clean sheet in eight games while he was out.
Now, with the trip to Camp Nou right around the corner, Courtois is back at just the right time. According to MARCA, he’ll start against Barcelona unless something unexpected happens between now and then. He trained with the squad on Monday and looks ready to reclaim his spot from Andriy Lunin, who’s had a tough couple of months and faced a fair share of criticism. If Courtois starts, he’ll notch his 330th appearance for the club.
But here’s the problem: while Arbeloa gets a major boost in goals, his squad is still missing key players. Arda Güler, Éder Militão, Dani Carvajal, Rodrygo, and maybe even Kylian Mbappé remain sidelined, so Madrid are still far from full strength for this crucial match on May 10.
Ferland Mendy joins the injury list too after picking up a muscle issue in the 2–0 win over Espanyol. He only lasted 14 minutes before coming off, and further tests showed a hamstring injury bad enough that ESPN says he could be out for up to five months, possibly needing surgery.
That one really hurts since Mendy had played so well lately, especially against Savinho and Michael Olise in the Champions League. To make things even more complicated, Álvaro Carreras seems to have dropped down Arbeloa’s pecking order, so Fran García is expected to fill in at left back on Sunday.
Now, about the title race. Barcelona sit 11 points clear at the top, so the La Liga title is basically theirs. Madrid already swallowed the bitter pill of losing out to their biggest rivals for a second straight season, but two things could still make this sting even more. First, they dodged the humiliation of being forced to give Barcelona a guard of honour at the Camp Nou. Madrid’s win over Espanyol last weekend stopped that from happening.
But here’s what Madrid really wants to avoid: Barcelona celebrating the title in front of them on Sunday. The math is simple: if Barça earn even a draw, they clinch the league. The only way Madrid can delay the inevitable is by taking all three points and spoiling the party at least for another week.
WHY DID REAL MADRID CHOOSE TO KEEP ENDRICK DESPITE MASSIVE PREMIER LEAGUE INTEREST?
After a stellar loan at Lyon, Endrick will return to Real Madrid this summer alongside Jacobo Ramón to form a new youth core.
Real Madrid has zero plans to let Endrick leave this summer. That’s what we’re hearing, even with Arsenal and Chelsea knocking on their door. We’ve also got some updates on Jacobo Ramon’s future.
Endrick is finishing his loan at Lyon on a high note. He’s put up seven goals and seven assists in just 18 games, and people are excited about what he could do long-term.
The 19-year-old forward from Brazil wanted more game time after struggling for chances with Xabi Alonso in charge at Madrid, so he pushed for a loan. Now, with Alonso gone, Endrick’s focused on forcing his way into Brazil’s World Cup squad, and honestly, the way he’s been playing lately, he’s making a strong argument.
Big clubs are paying attention. Arsenal and Chelsea have both checked in recently to see if Madrid would be open to a deal for him this summer.
But Madrid’s answer? No chance. They’ve told both clubs straight up: Endrick’s coming back to the Bernabéu, and he’s in their first-team plans for next season.
Endrick’s on board with that, too. He wants to stay and fight for a spot, a real chance to prove himself as a regular in Madrid’s lineup.
Florentino Perez backs him all the way; he still believes Endrick is the best young talent out there. The club isn’t about to change its mind.
Endrick’s not the only Madrid youth getting attention from the Premier League. Arsenal and Chelsea have also been checking in about Jacobo Ramon, the young centre-back playing for Como in Italy right now.
Ramon’s been playing alongside Nico Paz under Cesc Fabregas and has done well. Even though he moved from Madrid to Como last summer, Madrid made sure to keep buy-back and sell-on clauses, so it’s almost like he’s still a Madrid player on loan.
Now, the plan is for Ramon to return to Madrid this summer with Endrick and Paz. The club’s looking to keep its young core together and build the future around them.
Lots of clubs are watching Ramon; more than six want to sign him. But honestly, Madrid’s stance is pretty clear: just like with Endrick, they aren’t budging.
So for Arsenal, Chelsea, and anyone else hoping to swoop in, the message is simple. Madrid is keeping their best young talents. They’re not letting them go.
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