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Real Madrid will look to strengthen their squad when the transfer window reopens. Carlo Ancelotti’s wards trail leaders Barcelona by two points after 15 La Liga games.
Meanwhile, Los Blancos have turned down the chance to sign Ilkay Gundogan. Elsewhere, the Spanish giants are not interested in Marcus Thuram. On that note, here's a look at the key Real Madrid transfer stories as on December 11, 2022:
Real Madrid turn down Ilkay Gundogan
Real Madrid have passed on the chance to sign Ilkay Gundogan for free next summer, according to Defensa Central via The Hard Tackle.
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The German midfielder is in the final year of his contract with Manchester City but is yet to commit himself to the club. That has alerted clubs around Europe, and intermediaries have now offered Los Blancos the chance to lap him up.
The La Liga giants remain in the hunt for midfield reinforcements to offset the eventual departure of Toni Kroos and Luka Modric. Both players are in the twilight of their career, and Real Madrid are eager to lay down succession plans for the duo. Gundogan has emerged as an option, but Los Blancos have decided not to pursue the 32-year-old.
The Spanish giants are not looking for temporary options in the centre of the park. Instead, the club will continue to target younger players like Jude Bellingham and Enzo Fernandez.
Los Blancos not interested in Marcus Thuram
Real Madrid are not interested in Marcus Thuram, according to Defensa Central via The Hard Tackle.
The French international has enjoyed a brilliant rise at Borussia Monchengladbach this season. The 25-year-old has registered 17 games across competitions for the Bundesliga side, recording 13 goals and four assists.
He remains an integral part of Monchengladbach’s setup, but his contract expires at the end of the season. The Bundesliga side are yet to tie him down to a new deal, prompting interest from clubs around Europe. With Los Blancos in need of attacking reinforcements following the injury woes of Karim Benzema, the Frenchman has been offered to the club.
However, the Spanish giants are not interested in Thuram, as they have other attackers on their radar. The 25-year-old, meanwhile, is not short of options and looks likely to leave the Bundesliga side next year.
Fabio Wolff heaps praise on Endrick
Endrick’s agent Fabio Wolff has spoken highly of the Brazilian. The 16-year-old is set to move to the Santiago Bernabeu in 2024 after Real Madrid struck a deal with Palmeiras for his signature this month.
The teenager has earned rave reviews with his performances for the first team this season. Los Blancos saw off competition from Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea to win the race for his signature.
Speaking to AS, as cited by Managing Madrid, Wolff said that Endrick is an invaluable asset right now.
“Endrick is a gem on and off the field, a gem you have to polish with a lot of care. He broke a big record being only 16 years old. You can’t find players in Brazilian football with contracts longer than three years. His value has increased 10 times since January, and his value right now is impossible to measure,” said Wolff.
Wolff also went into detail about the sort of partnerships that Endrick could agree to in the future.
“We know the model we want for Endrick, just a handful of brands, eight would be the maximum. We want huge international companies who can provide Endrick true stories; we don’t just want a monetary exchange; we want story telling behind, some things that he can relate to,” said Wolff.
He added:
“Rafa Nadal did a great job with Nike, Kia, Mapfre or Telefonica, all those have been there for quite some time. If you increase the number of sponsorship deals; in reality, people don’t know the companies associated to the athlete.”
Endrick can only move out of Brazil once he turns 18 in 2024.
