Real Madrid star Federico Valverde names the club he wants to join before retiring

Real Madrid star Federico Valverde wants to see out most of his career at the Santiago Bernabeu before retiring at boyhood club Penarol in Uruguay.

Valverde has been at Madrid since 2016 since arriving from Penarol for €5 million. He has been a superb signing for Los Blancos, bagging 19 goals and 18 assists in 217 games, winning nine titles.

The 25-year-old said that he wants to remain with Real Madrid for most of his career apart from one year (via MadridXtra):

"I would love to be at Real Madrid for the rest of my life, except for one year when I would love to retire in Penarol.”

Federico Valverde was linked with a departure in the summer following the arrival of Jude Bellingham at the Bernabeu. Reports say that Chelsea and Liverpool have both been keeping tabs on the Uruguay international.

However, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano reports that Madrid's playmaker turned down several offers from the Premier League this summer, as he's committed to the La Liga giants. Romano said:

"Premier League offers? I have the ability to play for Real. The day I don't feel like that, I'm probably going to look for another solution or Real itself will look for one for me."

Valverde started his career at Penarol, providing two goals in 13 games across competitions. He won the Uruguayan Primera Division with his boyhood club in 2016.

---

Federico Valverde hails Real Madrid teammate Jude Bellingham

Federico Valverde has starred alongside Jude Bellingham this season.

Federico Valverde has lavished praise on Bellingham, 20, who he claims hasn't been fazed with joining one of, if not, the biggest clubs in the world (via CNN):

"He is so good. The truth is that when he arrived, he showed that maturity that sometimes … well, I’ve struggled when facing many situations because it (Real) is a very large institution, so we are not used to experiencing that."

Bellingham has 11 goals and three assists in 12 games across competitions. He's La Liga's current top scorer with eight goals in nine games.

Valverde said that the English superstar is playing as if he's been with Real Madrid for years:

"He’s played as if he lived here from the first day he was born. He feels the shirt; he feels the colours. He is a team player, in addition to being a star. He plays for the entire team, and, I think, that makes him even greater.”

Both Madrid midfielders will be in action when Carlo Ancelotti's side face Barcelona in the first El Clasico of the season on Saturday (October 28). Los Blancos are second in La Liga, a point above the Blaugrana, but have a game in hand on leaders Girona.