As newspaper revealed that Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso has asked the club’s management to sign a new midfielder in the event that Dani Ceballos leaves this summer.
In the past few hours, Marseille reached an agreement with Ceballos on the personal details of his transfer, but so far, there has been no agreement between the French club and Real Madrid on a sale. Los Blancos are demanding at least €15 million to complete the deal.
Alonso believes that losing Ceballos requires replacing him with another midfielder, especially since the season is long and only Eduardo Camavinga and Aurelien Tchouameni remain in his position.
Real Madrid’s management is discussing two options from outside the club to sign one of them. The first is Crystal Palace star Adam Wharton, but the problem with his signing stems from the fact that his contract is still valid until 2029, and the London club wants to sell him for at least €80 million. The only condition that would force Wharton to join Real Madrid is if Rodrygo is sold for a significant sum. However, the Brazilian remains committed to continuing with the club, making the option of signing the England international this season relatively remote.
The second option Real Madrid is considering is AZ Alkmaar’s Kes Smith, who is not currently a priority for Perez’s administration, but has recently been under the radar and would cost the club no more than €30 million.
A final option, favored by Real Madrid’s management in particular, is to rely on young player Tiago Petaric on a permanent basis. Alonso has reservations about this idea and would prefer to bring in a new, ready-made deal immediately to provide additional support.
