Real Madrid put midfield signing on hold

Real Madrid have been heavily linked with the signing of a star midfielder for much of the past six months, following their struggles to control games over the past two seasons, and the haunting absence of Toni Kroos. Yet Los Blancos are not currently focusing their efforts on bringing in a new midfielder.

A number of names have been linked with a move to the Santiago Bernabeu, but Real Madrid have denied that there will be any move for Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez, and another player heavily linked to Los Blancos, Mateus Fernandes, has signed for Tottenham Hotspur. The ‘dream signing’ would be Paris Saint-Germain’s Vitinha, but that seems an almost impossible deal to pull off. Dutch talent Kees Smit has also been suggested as an option, but that talk has also quietened in the past few months.

Real Madrid to ‘take a breather’ after four signings

On Sunday, Real Madrid announced the signing of Denzel Dumfries from Inter, the fourth through the door after Marc Cucurella, Ibrahima Konate and Bernardo Silva. Marca say that there are no more signings that are imminent, and that the club plan to ‘take a breather’. In the coming weeks, they will focus their efforts not on signing another midfielder and another centre-back as Jose Mourinho has supposedly requested, but on sealing exits from the squad.

Which players could be heading out of Real Madrid?

The prime candidates to leave the club are left-back Fran Garcia and centre-back Raul Asencio. Following Cucurella’s arrival, and little talk of interest in Alvaro Carreras, Garcia looks like the most likely of their four left-backs to leave, as Ferland Mendy will be out injured for some time yet. Real Madrid will seek a loan move for Franco Mastantuono, and centre-back Raul Asencio is also a candidate to leave.