Arsenal pushing for player departure to clear path for Real Madrid star – report

Real Madrid's scouting team is reportedly monitoring an Elche midfielder, while the club has identified a 25-year-old French defender as a potential affordable alternative to their primary defensive targets. Additionally, Arsenal is said to be pushing for a player's departure to facilitate a move for a Real Madrid star.

Internally, club president Florentino Perez has intervened to resolve uncertainty surrounding the future of a Real Madrid attacker. A current defender has also been assigned a new squad number for the upcoming 2025/26 season.

Real Madrid participated in the FIFA Club World Cup, experiencing mixed results. They suffered a heavy 0-4 defeat to PSG, generating analysis and discussion points both before and after the match. Conversely, they secured a 3-2 victory over Borussia Dortmund, which also produced key talking points and takeaways before and after the fixture. Player ratings for the tournament, including notably low scores for Gonzalo (9) and Asensio (3), were published.

Attention is turning towards the future under expected new manager Xabi Alonso. Analysis suggests Alonso must address one of Real Madrid's significant tactical weaknesses. Speculation also exists about three current players potentially leaving the club following the Club World Cup campaign. Projections for Alonso's best possible starting lineup and three things fans can anticipate under his management have been outlined.

An opinion piece argues that current manager Carlo Ancelotti should end his preference for Tchouameni and instead turn to Raul Asencio in the lineup.