Real Madrid to rival Chelsea and Arsenal for €100 million-rated defender - Reports

Real Madrid will reportedly face a challenge from Chelsea and Arsenal in their attempts to sign Vitor Reis. The Brazilian centre-back has garnered a lot of attention from some top European clubs after his performances for Palmeiras.

Real Madrid are dealing with defensive issues in the last two seasons. Eder Militao suffered an ACL injury last season but has recovered now but David Alaba is still out injured. They are left with Antonio Rudiger, Militao, and Jesus Vallejo as their only centre-back options while academy star Joan Martinez also suffered an ACL injury in pre-season.

Hence, Los Blancos are now monitoring options to strengthen their defense in the upcoming transfer windows. As per The Athletic, they have identified Vitor Reis as one of the potential signings. The 18-year-old's contract with Palmeiras expires in 2028 and it has a release clause worth €100 million.

The likes of Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool, and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) are also highly interested in signing Reis. The defender has made 17 senior appearances for Palmeiras and also contributed two goals. He's also made eight appearances for Brazil's U17 side.

Interestingly, both Real Madrid and Chelsea have signed players for Palmeiras recently. While Los Blancos welcomed Endrick earlier this summer, the Blues have signed Estevao Willian, who'll join them next year after he turns 18.

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Real Madrid interested in Chelsea star, could also offer a swap deal

As per Fichajes.net (via Sport Bible), Real Madrid are interested in signing Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez. They could look to sign him next summer on his own or offer a swap deal as well with Aurelien Tchouameni going the other way.

The Blues signed Fernandez from Benfica for a whopping reported fee of £106.8 million in January 2023. He was an important player under Mauricio Pochettino last season, having made 40 appearances across competitions. However, he's fallen down the pecking order under Enzo Maresca, playing 825 minutes across 12 appearances this season.

Chelsea would reportedly be open to selling Fernandez and Real Madrid are interested in signing him. The Spanish giants are open to selling Tchouameni having been underwhelmed by his performances. They could offer him in a swap deal for Fernandez or pay £84 million to sign him.

Tchouameni has made 14 appearances across competitions for Los Blancos this season but has failed to provide the defensive solidity he's generally known for. Specifically, his performance in their 4-0 hammering against Barcelona in the El Clasico at the Santiago Bernabeu came under immense criticism.