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What's the story?
Real Madrid defender Dani Carvajal has addressed the Spanish giants' heavy transfer links to Neymar Jr and Paul Pogba over the summer and has explained why the club did not make as many changes to their squad as expected.
In case you didn't know...
Los Blancos were heavily linked with a move for Neymar this summer, with the Paris Saint-Germain superstar having initially been tipped for a return to their Clasico rivals, Barcelona.
Real Madrid president Florentino Perez was reportedly keen on bringing the Brazil international to the Santiago Bernabeu as he believed that the player would be the perfect replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo both on and off the pitch.
Meanwhile, Pogba remained one of the club's top transfer targets, with Zinedine Zidane reportedly being a big admirer of the Manchester United star.
The French midfielder had previously suggested that he was ready for a new challenge but Real Madrid's hopes of signing him ended when the Red Devils signed no replacement for the player at the end of the English summer window.
The heart of the matter
Speaking to El Partidazo de COPE, Carvajal said,
"You saw that one day he was going to Barça, another day he came with us, another day he stayed ... We asked the Brazilians and they told us that he didn't know what was going to happen, that he was in doubt. He is a top five or top three player. Such a player is welcome on any team.
"Pogba sounded good too. The dates of signings close differently everywhere and in the end, he has not arrived. We are who we are and we cannot think of someone who is not with us."
The defender added,
"There is always talk of revolution, but in a team like Real Madrid, where everyone wants to be and not everyone wants to leave, it is not easy. Players have come to help us like Hazard, Militao, Mendy ... and I think it is to complement a great squad."
What's next?
Real Madrid have collected only five points from their opening three games in La Liga and will hope to add to the tally when they return to action against Atletico Madrid on September 14.
