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Real Madrid are working to improve their options in the squad ahead of the new season. Manager Carlo Ancelotti failed to win the league and UEFA Champions League last campaign and has to do better next campaign.
Meanwhile, Bayern Munich full-back Alphonso Davies has agreed to join Los Blancos next summer. Elsewhere, Paris Saint-Germain striker Kylian Mbappe has been backed to move to the Santiago Bernabeu in 2024.
On that note, here's a look at the key Real Madrid transfer stories as on August 3, 2023:
Alphonso Davies agrees 2024 move
Alphonso Davies has agreed personal terms with Real Madrid to facilitate a move in 2024, according to The Hard Tackle via Defensa Central.
The Canadian speedster has been very impressive for Bayern Munich in recent seasons and is one of their most key players. His form has earned him admirers at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The La Liga giants have signed Fran Garcia this summer to address their left-back conundrum. However, Davies is an exceptional talent who cannot be passed on, and Los Blancos harbour dreams of seeing him at the Santiago Bernabeu. The player's contract expires in 2025, but he's yet to sign a new deal.
Real Madrid are sensing an opportunity to prise him away next summer, when the Bavarians could be forced to cash in on him. The La Liga giants have taken the first steps to get their man, with the 22-year-old also ready to move to the Spanish capital in 2024.
Kylian Mbappe backed to join Real Madrid
Journalist Neil Jones reckons Kylian Mbappe will join Real Madrid in 2024. The French forward remains heavily linked with a departure from Paris Saint-Germain after refusing to extend his current deal, which expires in 2024. Los Blancos are hoping to lap him up as a free agent next summer.
There's considerable interest in the player's signature this summer, with Liverpool also heavily linked with the 24-year-old. Manager Jurgen Klopp recently downplayed those rumours, hinting that the Reds are not eyeing Mbappe.
In his column for Caught Offside, Jones said that the recent speculation regarding the 2018 FIFA World Cup winner's move to Anfield has been ignited by fans.
“Jurgen Klopp has shut those rumours down, and I think he said it all really, with the reality being that the financial parameters make it impossible.
"It’s not just about a transfer fee or a loan fee, but it’s his wages as well. As I previously wrote here, the time for Liverpool to sign Mbappe was when he was at Monaco, but any speculation since then has been mostly fan-led," wrote Jones.
Jones also brushed aside the notion of a loan move to Liverpool, adding that Mbappe is likely to arrive at the Santiago Bernabeu next summer.
“I also think it’s a bit of an open secret that Mbappe is going to Real Madrid next summer. That’s what PSG believe, and that’s what everything points towards, so do Liverpool really want a player, as talented and game-changing as he is, that they’re only going to be able to build around for a year and then he’s gone?" wrote Jones.
He continued about the all-time PSG top scorer:
"Does any big club really want to do that? Ironically, the one club who probably would do something like that is PSG themselves, so I don’t see any world where Mbappe joins Liverpool on loan."
An offer for the Frenchman this summer from the La Liga giants cannot be entirely ruled out, considering his contract situation.
Carlo Ancelotti impressed with Nico Paz
Carlo Ancelotti is pleased with Nico Paz's efforts in pre-season. The Argentinean midfielder has reportedly caught the eye in training during Real Madrid's US tour. The 18-year-old has briefly been on the pitch against AC Milan and Manchester United and also had a seven-minute cameo in the defeat to Juventus.
With intense competition for places in Ancelotti's midfield, Paz is unlikely to secure first-team action any time soon. However, speaking recently as cited by Mundo Deportivo, the Italian said that the teenager has all the qualities to play for Los Blancos in the future.
"He’s doing very well, and he’s very talented. He looks like a first-team player, but you don’t have to put too much pressure on him because he’s progressing. He has all of the qualities to play for Real Madrid in the future," said Ancelotti.
The La Liga giants signed Jude Bellingham from Borussia Dortmund this summer to further bolster an already enviable midfield.
