The Spanish tinge to Real Madrid

Note: Spain lost to the U.S.A. You can read the match report which is right below this post. I am on the verge of tears. If I talk anymore about the defeat I will cry. So I shall zip up about Spain and all the talk shall be about Real Madrid alone.

Hello,

It has been quite a decent day at the transfer market for us. There are quite a few rumors on hand right now. And I must say that they are good ones. Good as in good for the club not the ‘Stephen Lichensteiner is wanted by Real Madrid’ kind. OK. Time to kick-off.

Raul Albiol has been signed by Real Madrid. The actual signature nor the medical hasn’t taken place but MARCA reports that Valencia and Real Madrid have agreed upon a deal worth around 15 million euros which sees the young Spaniard play the next five seasons at the Bernabeu if alls well. It also says that a week long negotiation has been going on between the two clubs and that the deal is finally complete. The player though is yet to comment as he is away on international duty with the Spanish national team. If all has happened as reported then Albiol will be the second Spaniard to be signed by Florentino following Sergio Ramos (in his previous stint as President) and his third acquisition of his current spell. Both AS and MARCA had earlier said that Albiol was close to signing for Real Madrid and this news comes in as a little less of a surprise. There are no official statements out from either camp yet.

One other Spaniard who just might wear white next season is Alvaro Arbeloa. The versatile full-back who is currently plying his trade with Liverpool is being rumored to be on the verge of signing for Real Madrid. With Liverpool signing Glen Johnson this week and with only one year left in the player’s contract it was said that his agent was in Madrid to conduct talks with the Bernabeu officials. Arbeloa welcomes the transfer talk and concedes that it is not certain he will be plying his trade with Liverpool next season. He said:

I am especially proud of what the club is doing. It is a big project with the return of Florentino (Perez) – and obviously if Madrid is fixed on you it makes you proud.

Arbeloa added in Marca:

I would be lying if I said I was sure to start the season with Liverpool. I’ll be able to think about all this by next Monday.

We have also been linked with Liverpool’s midfield pair of Javier Mascherano and Xabi Alonso. The Argentine is flattered about the rumors linking him with us and Barcelona. He has been tipped to join the Camp Nou outfit this summer while his representative, Walter Tamer, is understood to have jetted to Catalunya to hold talks last week. But it is Alonso on whom we are keen on. Valdano while speaking to AS said:

We have possibilities there but I don’t want to say anything that will make the negotiation more difficult. We will wait a reasonable amount of time.

Valdano had a few words to say about Arbeloa as well. He added:

The lad only has a year left on his contract with Liverpool and this gives us more possibilities. He can play in two or three positions and this versatility is good. He is another option to evaluate.

The arrival of Arbeloa and Alonso could spell the exits of one Gabriel Heinze, who admitted that he would consider moving back to the Premier League if we are looking at selling him. Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham are the clubs which are said to be interested in him. Please take him. I beg you. Continuing with England, there is a rumor about Michael Essien saying he would find it tough to resist a move to Real Madrid. The arrival of either Xabi or Essien would spell the exit of Rafael van der Vaart who might just go back to where he came from, HSV, only after a year that too. At least that is what MARCA says. But this they’ve been saying for ages.

One player who is definitely staying is Iker Casillas. He was behind the microphone of Al Primer Toque, where he made it very clear that his future is with Real Madrid following reports linking him with Manchester United.

I am very happy at Real Madrid and thrilled with the project. I have no intention of leaving. I was raised at Real Madrid and it is where I want to be. I worked hard to reach the first team and have been here for ten years now.

The long wait to decide the future of Franck Ribery could soon be over after the player’s agent revealed that the Frenchman wants to sign for Real Madrid. Ribery has his pick of Europe’s top clubs this summer, but appears set on a move to the Bernabeu. This is some fantastic news. I will wait till I hear more on this.

But he isn’t the only Frenchman who wants to be come to Real. With having ended the David Villa pursuit Real were planning to spend the money that Valencia was supposed to get on Lyon’s Karim Benzema, who has been a target for sometime now. However, the French striker will prove to be a difficult target for Perez and co. Lyon have insisted that they will keep hold of Benzema, but their statements have always ended with a ‘but anything is possible’. president Jean-Michel Aulas said:

Karim has long expressed his desire to remain with Olympique Lyonnais. The club wants him to stay and restructure around him. Now it’s true that the transfer market is very surprising and the news from Real, Chelsea and Manchester United makes me very perplexed. No-one is in-transferable, but knowing Karim, if he did leave, it would be to Real Madrid. For the moment, we are not talking about transferring Karim.

Benzema is valued at €40 million, with rumours indicating that Lyon would have to take on a cash-plus-player deal Arjen Robben or Klaas-Jan Huntelaar. BOLLOCKS!

Fiorentina are believed to be keen on signing Dutchman Royston Drenthe, initially on loan for a season with the option of a permanent deal at the end of the 12 months. His agent Ernesto Bronzetti claims Real would be happy to let Drenthe leave, but only for a considerably higher fee. He explained:

I had a chat with Pantaleo Corvino and he admitted he wants Drenthe. They want to loan him and then buy him for £6m. Real Madrid are OK with the loan but they would like more money for the permanent transfer.

Bronzetti also warned Fiorentina they could face competition for Drenthe, who has been linked with Genoa and Tottenham. He said:

Royston is young and talented. Perhaps he is Real Madrid’s most wanted player so Fiorentina will have to make an effort to buy him.

BOLLOCKS again!

One person who has left officially is Julen Lopetegui. He has been fired by Real Madrid as the coach of Real Madrid Castilla. An official announcement on the club’s website read:

Real Madrid CF wishes to announce that it has reached a deal with Julen Lopetegui for the latter to leave the club. Lopetegui signed on in 2008/09 to coach Real Madrid Castilla, who he nearly led to the playoffs of Segunda Division B. Real Madrid would like to thank the coach for his services and expresses its best wishes for future success.

Away from transfers, the 30th edition of the Santiago Bernabeu Trophy will be contested by A.C.Milan. Yeah. It was confirmed on the official website here. I just can’t wait for that! I just can’t! Kaka versus Milan!

Oh yeah, there is a rumor or two about the prospective signing of either Godin or Gonzalo from Villareal. But nothing solid can be said about it yet.

I’ll post as soon as anything about the Albiol move comes out.

Till then,

Para Siempre Blanco!

Hala Madrid!!