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Real Madrid will turn their focus back to La Liga on Sunday (December 17) when they take on Villarreal at the Santiago Bernabeu. Carlo Ancelotti's team arrive at the game buoyed by their pulsating 3-2 win over Union Berlin in midweek in the Champions League.
Meanwhile, Los Blancos remain the favorites to win the race to sign Kylian Mbappe. Elsewhere, the Spanish giants have received a boost in their quest to sign Alphonso Davies.
On that note, let's take a look at the major Real Madrid transfer stories from December 15, 2023.
Real Madrid favorites in Kylian Mbappe race
Real Madrid remain the favorites to sign Kylian Mbappe next summer, according to French football expert Jonathan Johnson. The 24-year-old will enter the final six months of his contract with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in January and hasn't agreed to an extension yet. Los Blancos are long-term admirers of Mbappe and are heavily linked with a Bosman move for the player next summer.
In his column for Caught Offside, Johnson acknowledged interest from Arsenal and Liverpool but insisted that neither club are viable destination for the French superstar.
“I think Arsenal are an attractive project now, and I think if an offer was there and Real Madrid took themselves out of the equation, then Mbappe would give it serious consideration,” wrote Johnson.
He continued:
“I think the interest from Liverpool, however, has been more long-standing and more serious, but at the same time Liverpool are also going through something of a transitional phase, so neither club look an obvious destination for Mbappe at this moment in time – only Real Madrid really fit the bill in that respect.”
Johnson went on to add that the La Liga giants remain firmly in the driving seat in the race for Mbappe.
“I wouldn’t completely rule Arsenal out, and the same goes for Liverpool, but I think those teams would be a distant second to Real Madrid, and it’s also not the case at this moment in time that he’s definitely decided he’s done and dusted with PSG either," wrote Johnson.
He concluded:
“A lot can change in the coming weeks and months, but I think the next key step is to see how Real Madrid approach this deal. Let’s see how they make their next charm-offensive, and what that could mean in terms of Arsenal or Liverpool becoming more serious destinations for Mbappe.”
A recent report from AS has stated that Real Madrid have afforded Mbappe until January 15 to decide on his future.
Los Blancos receive Alphonso Davies boost
Real Madrid have received a boost in their plans to sign Alphonso Davies. According to transfer insider Florian Plettenberg, talks with Bayern Munich regarding a new deal have hit a snag. The Canadian left-back's contract with the Bavarians expires in 2025. The La Liga giants are long-term admirers of the player.
Speaking recently, as cited by Mundo Deportivo, Plettenberg insisted that the Bundesliga champions are reluctant to meet Davies' demands at the moment.
"Christoph Freund is leading the negotiations and Davies demands between 10 and 13 million euros for a new contract. Bayern does not want to pay him that money at the moment. Internally, they are not entirely satisfied with Davies' performance in recent weeks and months nor with his future development. Davies has to improve if he wants to get the money he currently demands," said Plettenberg.
Unless he agrees to a deal, the 23-year-old could be offloaded next summer, paving the way for Los Blancos to take him to the Santiago Bernabeu.
David Alaba wanted in Middle East
David Alaba is a subject of interest for Al Ittihad, according to journalist Rodra P. The Austrian defender is a first-team regular at Real Madrid and his efforts have caused a stir in the Middle East. Al Ittihad prised away Karim Benzema from the Santiago Bernabeu this summer and are now planning to return for Alaba.
However, the 31-year-old has no desire to join the Saudi club just yet. Al Ittihad are willing to offer Alaba a massive contract worth €20m, but it isn't enough to sway the player. The Austrian remains keen to continue playing at the highest level, although Los Blancos are worried about his recent slump in form. However, the club hope he can turn things around soon and aren't looking to offload him either.
