"I've been missing you!" - Real Madrid star confirms return to training after long injury layoff

Real Madrid right-back Dani Carvajal has confirmed that he has resumed training. The Spaniard ruptured his ACL in October last year and has been sidelined since.

Los Blancos have suffered in his absence, with Lucas Vazquez having an indifferent season so far. The situation has prompted Carlo Ancelotti to deploy Federico Valverde in the right-back position of late.

However, it now appears that Carvajal could be back sooner than expected. On Monday, the 33-year-old shared a picture of his football boots on social media, indicating that his recovery is on track. He wrote via Madrid Xtra:

"What I've been missing you!"

While Dani Carvajal was originally not expected to play again this season, it now appears that he could be back in action before the end of the campaign. Real Madrid have not set a timeline for his return, although it is believed that the veteran right-back could feature in the refurbished Club World Cup this summer.

Interestingly, Carvajal's contract with Los Blancos is due to expire at the end of next season. The Spaniard has been indispensable for the LaLiga giants in recent seasons, and has registered 14 goals and 65 assists from 427 games across competitions to date.

However, the player is already on the wrong side of 30, and Real Madrid have to lay down a succession plan soon. Meanwhile, Lucas Vazquez's contract also runs out in a few months and he hasn't been offered a new deal yet.

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Will Real Madrid sign a new right-back this summer?

Dani Carvajal

Real Madrid are likely to reinforce their right-back position before the start of the new campaign. Recent reports have suggested that Los Blancos have their eyes on Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold.

The English right-back is one of the finest in his position in the world and has been key to the Reds' recent rise. However, the player's contract at Anfield expires in a few months and he hasn't signed an extension yet.

The LaLiga champions are keeping a close eye on the situation and are plotting a Bosman move for the 26-year-old this summer. However, Liverpool haven't thrown in the towel yet, so Real Madrid are also keeping a plan B ready.

A recent report from Fichajes.net has suggested that Los Blancos have identified Real Sociedad's Jon Aramburu as the ideal alternative to Alexander-Arnold. The 22-year-old has registered one assist from 38 games this season. He is under contract until 2030 and reportedly has a €60m release clause in his contract.