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Real Madrid are preparing to face Osasuna at El Sadar on Saturday, March 16, in La Liga. Carlo Ancelotti’s team are coming off a convincing 4-0 win over Celta Vigo on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Los Blancos are worried that they would be priced out of a move for Bayern Munich left-back Alphonso Davies. Elsewhere, Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi has hinted at Kylian Mbappe’s impending departure.
On that note, here's a look at the key Real Madrid transfer stories as on March 12, 2024:
Real Madrid have Alphonso Davies worry
Real Madrid don’t want to pay €60-70 million for Alphonso Davies this summer, according to acclaimed transfer guru Fabrizio Romano.
The Canadian left-back is a long-term target for the La Liga giants and enters the final year of his contract this summer. Bayern Munich are keen to tie him down to a new deal, but talks for an extension haven’t been fruitful.
Los Blancos are hoping to take advantage of the situation and script a cut-price deal for the 23-year-old. However, it's believed that the Bavarians are unlikely to let him go for cheap. Real Madrid are already preparing for a big investment in Kylian Mbappe and would prefer to sign Davies for a reduced fee this year.
However, it appears that the Bundesliga champions have a different plan. Los Blancos could play the waiting game, though, with Bayern Munich running the risk of losing the Canadian for free next summer.
Nasser Al-Khelaifi hints at Kylian Mbappe exit
Nasser Al-Khelaifi has all but confirmed that Kylian Mbappe will leave PSG at the end of this season. The French superstar is apparently in talks with Real Madrid regarding a Bosman move this summer.
The La Liga giants have been trying to sign him without success for a while, but Lady Luck appears to be on their side this year. The Parisians were hoping to convince Mbappe to sign a new deal, but it now looks like they have accepted that he will leave.
Speaking to RMC Sport, Al-Khelaifi hinted that the 25-year-old didn’t want to be part of the long-term project at the club.
“Mbappé? We said at the beginning of the season that we wanted to build a team for the future.
"A team that can really play together for another six or eight years. We have the youngest team in the quarterfinals. We have the youngest team among the 10 best European clubs,” said Al-Khelaifi.
Al-Khelaifi also spoke about the departures of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Sergio Ramos and pointed out that the Parisians were now looking ahead to the future.
“The departure of Messi, Neymar or Ramos is part of the project, great people who have also been very good players. It is an honour that they have played for our team but now we have a new cycle,” said Al-Khelaifi.
Los Blancos are reportedly planning an unveiling ceremony for Mbappe.
Carlo Ancelotti opens up on Arda Guler future
Carlo Ancelotti has insisted that Arda Guler has a future at Real Madrid. The Turkish midfielder arrived at the Santiago Bernabeu from Fenerbahce with a huge reputation last summer.
He struggled with injuries at the beginning of the campaign, which hurt his chances. The 19-year-old is now back to full fitness but hasn’t managed a regular run in the starting XI so far.
Guler came off the bench against Celta Vigo over the weekend for a cameo and scored his first goal for the La Liga giants. Recent reports have said that the teenager could be sent out on loan this summer to gain valuable first-team experience.
Speaking to the press, Ancelotti said that everyone at Real Madrid is convinced of Guler’s qualities.
“He played very little, just a few minutes, but he was convinced that he could do something. That completion was not easy.
"He is a great talent and we see him every day. We talk to him a lot. He is showing all the quality of him. He will have a future here. Nobody thinks that he has no future here. He is a great talent,” said Ancelotti.
He continued:
“He is going to have, in the future, I’m not saying tomorrow, more minutes. In the goal he scored, he made a fantastic dribble and a fantastic finish. This goal is important for him, as it is for us to have a great player.”
The Turkish midfielder has registered just 93 minutes of first-team action this season under Ancelotti.
