Manchester City are intrested in Real Madrid's Center Back Pepe, Manuel Pallengrini is ready to make him the next defensive signing of Man City. - Real Madrid see Laporte and David Luiz as Pepe's perfect replacement. [Via : Manchester Evening news]
TALKS WITH THE PLAYER HAVE INTENSIFIED
The clock is ticking for Asier Illarramendi. He has until Friday to decide on his future. Athletic have stepped up talks with him in a bid to convince him to make a move to the Basque club. Once the two clubs have come close to agreeing on the terms of a transfer, all that remains is for the player to make up his mind.Illarra is still mulling the decision over, and is still leaning towards staying on at Real Madrid and waiting until the summer to make a decision on his future. However, he also knows that Real will not be as keen to make a deal then as they are now, considering the offer which Athletic have laid on the table. Other clubs will find it hard to match the €25 million bid from Athletic.
The midfielder knows this first-hand, because his agent has sounded out the possibility of a move to Arsenal. The London club wants Illarra for next season and this is the option which the player is most interested in. The problem is that they have stated that they are not prepared to go above €15 million.
Meanwhile, Athletic are still working on overcoming the obstacles. They know that Illarra wants to keep the contract that he has with Real Madrid - an incremental deal which could see him earn €2.5 million in his final season - and that he is also worried about the sponsorship deal which he has with Adidas - some €500,000 a year - given that Athletic is backed by Nike. [MARCA]
Iker Casillasonce again expressed his desire to play in Major League Soccer (MLS). In an interview given to the Wall Street Journal, the goalkeeper talked of a possible move to the USA when his contract with Real Madrid finishes in June 2017.
"I have no problem saying that I would like to play in the MLS. I couldn't possibly leave Real Madrid and sign for a club that would play against them. But I could start out on a new adventure, something young and different such as North American football." "Some time in the future, I'd like to take part in a different type of football and remember and appreciate the time I was at Real Madrid", Casillas concluded.
The president of Spain's Professional Football League (LFP), Javier Tebas, said that consideration should be made of "Cristiano Ronaldo asking for forgiveness after" being sent off against Córdoba, although the Portuguese did not demonstrate, in his opinion, "sporting behavior" in the incident with Edimar.
"What's not good for the image of 'La Liga' is people behaving in a non-sporting way, and Cristiano Ronaldo failed to behave as expected but then apologised.
I like the fact that he said sorry, and this needs to be appreciated", he said when asked about the sanction that the Spanish league's regulatory body could impose on CR7 for his straight red card.
Tebas, who presided over the ceremony to award the funds collected in the second edition of the Champions for Life game played at the Vicente Calderón stadium on 29th December, also referred to the investigation FIFA has opened into Real Madrid's transfer dealings when signing youngsters, after having already sanctioned FC Barcelona for the same thing.
"The issue with signing minors concerns me. In the league, we believe that FIFA's regulations do not comply with Spanish legislation or European legislation and we'll see what's going to happen. We're talking about three big clubs here, Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atlético de Madrid, and I'm sure that the minors that joined these teams have all been treated very well", he said. [MARCA]
Khedira will likely start ahead of Illaramendi in the next game against Real Sociedad. Lucas Silva could also get some minutes and could make his debut. - Jese is also available if Isco fails to recover in time [via : as]
Confirmed : Real Madrid have ruled out the signing of Hachim Mastour.
- Now every Castilla game worth to be watched for sure *_* - Ødegaard, Mastour, Battala, Medran, De Thomas, Burgui, Llorente
Coentrão will leave Real Madrid next season and Gaya will join the club. The 19 years old young left back will cost Real Madrid around €18m. [Cope]
Express | Real Madrid are seriously interested in Harry Kane of Tottenham. - Ancelotti is really impressed the way he's scoring this season. Already 18 goals this season and he's just 21 years old. - Madrid will go all out for him next season.
Gareth Bale gave an entertaining interview to Spanish radio sports programme El Larguero last night:
Bale on Spanish classes: "Well, I have classes two or three times a week and I understand more and talk more all the time" Bale on the pic of him as a kid in a RM shirt: "I remember being on holiday here in Spain, I'd gone out with some friends and bought it, took it back to Cardiff, from where I'm from, and wore it." Bale: "I just liked watching Real Madrid on television. They had the best players, and played the best football" "I watched a lot of football as a kid. When they played it was always an exciting game. I really liked Real Madrid." "I liked Zidane and Ronaldo a lot. Seeing the two together was amazing." "The things they could do with a football [Ronaldo & Zidane]. I think they are the reason I liked Real Madrid." "I've pretty much done every sport. I liked lots of sports [rugby, hockey, tennis, athletics..]" " I've had no problems [at 14] with my back or anything. It was just one of those things, when the muscles need to get used to [growing]" "I left my friends behind in Southampton, we lived in a big house together, and I went to London to live on my own." "At the start it was tough [in London], but very quickly I got used to it & you have to grow up" Bale on being a defender: "I didn't mind it. But I didn't really know how to defend and I liked going forward." Bale: "From the first interest from Real Madrid to signing was about four months. I missed the pre-season." "I didn't have the training I would have liked. But things happen and I'm at the Bernabéu now, which is where I want to be." Bale on how he was received at Real Madrid: "Everyone was great. The first day everyone was really welcoming." Bale: "I'm not someone who is in the press much. I like to live my own life" Bale on Modric: "We spent four or five years together. So I know him really well." Bale: "Of course being able to come here & see [Luka] & not have to go & make other new friends that was very important right at the start" Bale: "[Luka Modric] made me feel very welcome." Bale: "I do go out quite a lot, but I try and hide. I go out to enjoy Madrid. I try and live a normal life." : "I've been up [in the center of Madrid] a few times. I try and keep a low profile. I put a hat on." "I feel happy and supported by the crowd. I want to keep working hard to win all the trophies possible." " I love playing at home, I love the Bernabéu. I like attacking and scoring goals, that's what I love." Free-kicks? "Normally if it's on the left it's Ronaldo & if it's on the right it would be for me. So we know more or less who is taking it." "When we attack I need to go up to help Cristiano and Karim and when we defend I drop back to help in midfield. That's my role" Bale on Odegaard: "I haven't seen him play. He's been training with Castilla. But when he comes to train with us, we'll welcome that" Bale on racing Cristiano: "I think he thinks he would win and I think I would win. But it would be a great race." Bale on whether Bale to MU is possible: "For me no." "I did an interview recently and I said I'm happy here, I've got several years left on my contract and I'm having a good time." Do you like to read? Bale: "Not a lot." Will you take all the FKs with Ronaldo suspended? Bale: "I hope so! It gives me the opportunity to score more goals and that's good for me"