Real Madrid
Zubimendi Rejects ‘Missing Link’ Tag as Real Madrid Confront Midfield Void
Martín Zubimendi says he is not Real Madrid’s missing midfield link as the club searches for balance.
Real Madrid have acknowledged a need for a tempo-setting midfielder to replace the influence left by Toni Kroos and Luka Modrić. That admission has fed renewed interest in Martín Zubimendi, yet the player himself has rejected the idea that he is the missing piece.
“I don’t think so,” Zubimendi told Cadena SER . “Madrid has more than enough players to do well.
“No way, no way.”
Those departures have reshaped Madrid. Casemiro left in 2022, Kroos retired in the summer of 2024 and Modrić, now 40 years old, was allowed to leave for AC Milan at the end of last season. The trio helped deliver multiple Champions League triumphs, with Kroos and Modrić finishing their careers with six personal winners’ medals between them after further success following Casemiro’s exit.
Madrid still possess a wealth of midfield talent: Jude Bellingham, Aurélien Tchouaméni, Federico Valverde, Eduardo Camavinga, Arda Güler and Dani Ceballos. The quality is evident, but questions persist about long-term balance and control when those players are asked to operate alongside one another.
A central complaint among supporters has been a lack of composure in midfield that leaves the team exposed defensively and overly reliant on forward brilliance. Kylian Mbappé scoring 37 of the team’s 75 goals this season has only underlined that problem.
Zubimendi’s own credentials were clear before his move to Arsenal: he was a regular in the Spain squad with 180 games of La Liga experience. At Arsenal he has become the midfield anchor whose presence has coincided with the club having the best defence in the Premier League. Gunners boss Mikel Arteta has gleefully described his midfield maestro as “exceptional.”
If Madrid were to pursue Zubimendi now, the club would face a fee well over double what Arsenal paid last summer. Other ready-made midfield targets mentioned in discussions include Rodri and Alexis Mac Allister, with Enzo Fernández and Vitinha also regularly linked. Any of those options would command an astronomical figure.
Here’s the million-dollar question. Players of this profile are scarce, often tied to rival clubs, and competition for proven midfielders is intense when they do become available. Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson and Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton are cited as up-and-coming options, but both have significant suitors in their domestic league.
Liverpool
Mac Allister’s Camp Rebuffs Madrid Talk but Keeps Door Ajar After World Cup
Carlos Mac Allister says Real Madrid have not spoken to Alexis; future after World Cup remains open.
Alexis Mac Allister’s agent and father, Carlos, has moved to dampen talk of an imminent transfer to Real Madrid while making clear his son remains focused on the World Cup.
Speculation has linked the Liverpool midfielder with a summer move following a 2025–26 campaign in which his form drew harsh scrutiny. Real Madrid have been mentioned as a destination after securing Bernardo Silva this year as they seek long-term successors to Toni Kroos and Luka Modrić.
Carlos Mac Allister, who also represents his son, denied that any contact had taken place with the Spanish club when speaking to Erem News. “The reports circulating about Alexis are false.
“No one from Real Madrid has spoken to us so far. There is no new information regarding Alexis’s current situation at Liverpool .”
Mac Allister’s contract at Liverpool runs until June 2028 and, according to the available information, there have been no discussions about an extension. The player spent three seasons on Merseyside after his move from Brighton & Hove Albion.
The agent returned to the subject in comments to WinWin, stressing the immediate priority and leaving the possibility of reconsideration once the World Cup is concluded: “Alexis is in excellent shape to play in the World Cup. Before the World Cup begins, it’s not possible to discuss or analyse a player’s future,” he said.
Liverpool endured a difficult 2025–26 season and finished fifth to secure Champions League qualification. The club has since changed managers, with Arne Slot replaced by Andoni Iraola, and a significant summer of turnover is anticipated, including the departures of Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson.
How the new manager views Mac Allister remains unclear. After three seasons at Liverpool, both player and club may evaluate whether a fresh chapter is appropriate once international commitments conclude.
Chelsea
Real Madrid reach verbal agreement to sign Marc Cucurella from Chelsea for club left-back record
Real Madrid and Chelsea have a verbal deal to sign Marc Cucurella for €60m, a club left-back record.
Real Madrid and Chelsea have reportedly reached a verbal agreement to make Marc Cucurella the most expensive left back in the club’s history. A verbal agreement between all involved parties was first claimed by Fabrizio Romano on Sunday. José Mourinho, Madrid’s freshly reappointed manager, was thought to have singled Cucurella out as his ideal left back target in a position which caused plenty of problems for the Spanish giants last term.
Madrid are expected to pay $69.4 million (£51.8 million, €60 million) for the 27-year-old, with a fixed fee of €55 million supported by a further €5 million in potential bonuses, per The Athletic. The move follows Cucurella’s earlier big-money switch from Brighton to Chelsea and, if completed at the reported numbers, will place the Spain international among the highest fees paid for players at his position.
Transfer figures cited in the available data place Cucurella among the top left-back moves globally, behind only a small number of other high-value deals. The published ranking lists include moves such as Lucas Hernández to Bayern and Benjamin Mendy to Manchester City, with Cucurella appearing twice because his Chelsea transfer is listed and his reported move to Real Madrid is included separately. All figures are attributed to Transfermarkt and converted from euros to dollars.
Less than one year earlier Real Madrid made Álvaro Carreras the club’s most expensive left back with a €50 million deal, a record set to be surpassed by Cucurella. That Carreras transfer was described in the draft as “something of an embarrassment for Madrid,” noting the club had Carreras in its academy for three years without giving him a senior appearance before letting him join Manchester United for free.
Carreras’ return to Madrid began brightly, with a time when Spanish media billed every starting XI as Carreras plus 10 others, but he soon lost his starting spot to a half-fit Ferland Mendy and failed to re-establish himself. A chastening night against Bayern Munich and a physical confrontation with teammate Antonio Rüdiger on the training ground were cited as low points.
Newcastle United
Real Madrid Set to Profit if Newcastle Complete Víctor Muñoz Deal
Newcastle pursue Osasuna winger Víctor Muñoz; Real Madrid set to collect millions from sale in deals.
Newcastle United have moved to formalise interest in Osasuna winger Víctor Muñoz, a transfer that would deliver a significant payout to Real Madrid.
Reports indicate Newcastle submitted an official bid as negotiations between the clubs increased. The Premier League side is reportedly “confident” of securing Muñoz for a package above $34.5 million (€30 million), while Spanish outlets suggest the overall cost could reach $46 million (€40 million) including add-ons.
Muñoz joined Osasuna under terms that protect Real Madrid financially. The contract included a three-year buy-back clause and a provision that awards Real Madrid 50% of any future transfer fee. That structure mirrors recent arrangements for Real Madrid Castilla graduates, including Nico Paz and Jacobo Ramón.
Technically Real Madrid retain the option to exercise the buy-back clause and prevent a move to Newcastle, but AS report the club does not intend to bring the 22-year-old back before the 2026/27 season. With no plan to re-sign Muñoz, Los Blancos stand to convert the clause into cash. If the transfer remains around €30 million Real Madrid would receive $20.1 million (€17.5 million). If the deal reaches €40 million the figure rises to $23 million (€20 million).
The potential windfall comes as Real Madrid continue to pursue a major summer signing. Club president Florentino Pérez has pledged to add a Galáctico, and the club’s outgoings this window have been limited. Only David Alaba and Dani Carvajal have officially left the Bernabéu, both departing as free agents.
There is also possible movement elsewhere in the squad. Striker Gonzalo García, under contract until 2030, has attracted interest from several European suitors with Como mentioned prominently. Now that Endrick has returned to the Spanish capital following a successful loan stint with Lyon, Gonzalo’s minutes will likely be few and far between next season. That situation could make a sale with a buy-back clause an appealing option for all parties.
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