Real Madrid have been on a steady rise under Carlo Ancelotti in recent seasons. The Italian took charge at the Santiago Bernabeu in 2021 for his second stint at the club.
Meanwhile, a Spanish defender who plays in the Middle East is eager to join Los Blancos this summer. Elsewhere, the La Liga giants will face competition for Adrien Rabiot's services.
On that note, let's look at the major Real Madrid transfer stories from August 4, 2024.
Aymeric Laporte wants Real Madrid move
Aymeric Laporte is eager to join Real Madrid this summer, according to Al Yaum. The Al-Nassr defender is apparently ready to terminate his contract with the Saudi Arabian club to force a move to the La Liga giants.
Los Blancos are in the market for a new defender after seeing Nacho Fernandez leave this summer. Carlo Ancelotti initially set his sights on Leny Yoro, but he ended up joining Manchester United instead.
The Italian manager now has Eder Militao and Antonio Rudiger as his only fit centerbacks, with David Alaba not scheduled to return from injury until later this year. The situation has forced Real Madrid to look for solutions in the market and Laporte could be an option.
The Spanish defender is a highly experienced campaigner, having won multiple trophies during his time at Manchester City. He is also coming off a Euro 2024 winning run with Spain this summer.
The 30-year-old's contract with the Middle Eastern club expires in 2026. However, he wants to cut ties this year and move to the Santiago Bernabeu. Ancelotti is apparently impressed with Laporte and is willing to add the Spaniard to his roster. However, Los Blancos are reluctant to pay a transfer fee for the player, who will have to take the initiative to negotiate his exit from Al-Nassr.
Los Blancos face Adrien Rabiot competition
Real Madrid will face competition from Arsenal and Atletico Madrid for the services of Adrien Rabiot, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport. The 29-year-old is a free agent this summer following the expiry of his contract with Juventus.
His situation has drawn the attention of multiple clubs in Europe, including Los Blancos. Carlo Ancelotti's midfield has been weakened by the departure of Toni Kroos, while Dani Ceballos and Brahim Diaz remain linked with exits.
Rabiot has the experience and expertise to excel at the Santiago Bernabeu and his availability on a Bosman move makes him a lucrative option as well. However, the player is not short of options and the La Liga champions will have to ward off interest from the country as well as the Premier League for his signature.
Carlo Ancelotti hints at retirement
Carlo Ancelotti has hinted that he could hang up his boots at the end of his tenure with Real Madrid. The Italian manager signed a new contract with Los Blancos last year that runs until the summer of 2026.
Ancelotti's previous contract was set to expire this summer and he was heavily linked with the Brazilian national team. However, the legendary manager opted to extend his stay at the Santiago Bernabeu. With Kylian Mbappe and Endrick joining his impressive arsenal this year, Ancelotti has more challenges ahead of him.
Speaking on The Obi One podcast, the Italian manager insisted that he is not too inclined to take charge of a national team once he leaves the La Liga champions.
“Real Madrid will be my last club. If there is an opportunity for a national team, I don’t know. I’m not so excited at coaching a national team because I would lose what I like most, the day-to-day. I really enjoy what I’m doing. This is my season number 29 as a coach. It’s true that I have won a lot but imagine the number of titles I lost,” said Ancelotti.
Real Madrid have reportedly identified Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso as a possible replacement for Ancelotti.