Real Madrid

Gareth Bale's agent has said the Real Madrid winger is "going nowhere" during the January transfer window and is "very unlikely" to leave the Santiago Bernabeu in the summer.

Jonathan Barnett told ESPN FC's Alex Kirkland a winter transfer won't materialise despite recent rumours of interest from Major League Soccer.

El Desmarque (h/t MLSSoccer.com) reported Los Angeles Galaxy and Inter Miami—the club part-owned by David Beckham, set to begin play in 2020—are among those chasing his signature, via Eurosport UK:

Wales, Golf... Miami? 🇺🇸

Gareth Bale could be set for a shock move to MLS where he is wanted by David Beckham 🗞 pic.twitter.com/8PWlOdkUCn

— Cycling on TNT Sports (@cyclingontnt) January 8, 2020

The 30-year-old has made 245 appearances in six-and-a-half years with Los Blancos, having joined from Tottenham Hotspur in 2013 for a then-world-record fee of £85.1 million.

A departure has looked likely for some time, however, and Kirkland referred to Zinedine Zidane's comments in July that he hoped the player would be leaving soon.

The Welshman remained in Madrid after a transfer to Chinese club Jiangsu Suning—said to be worth £1 million per week—fell apart, per Ed Aarons and Paul McInnes of the Guardian.

A respiratory infection ruled Bale out of Real's 3-1 win over Valencia in the Spanish Super Cup semi-finals on Wednesday in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia:

Vamos! 👏🏼 https://t.co/mUmtLvXSLL

— Gareth Bale (@GarethBale11) January 8, 2020

Zidane didn't give his forward much hope of featuring in Sunday's final, when Real will face either Barcelona or Atletico Madrid, per Agence France-Presse's Tom Allnutt: 

Zidane suggests Bale coming out for final unlikely (but not impossible).

"I don't know but right now he isn't in condition. He hasn't trained all week. We have to see how he is with the doctors but he hasn't trained."

— Tom Allnutt (@TomAllnutt_) January 8, 2020

Any club that signs Bale will have substantial financial obstacles to overcome, not least of which is the player's reported £600,000-per-week salary, per the Guardian.

The attacker has scored twice in 14 appearances across all competitions this term. Calf and thigh injuries have once again restricted his impact on the pitch, while Bale's image in La Liga is far from where his employers might like it to be.

Bale angered fans and sections of the Spanish media when Wales secured UEFA Euro 2020 qualification in late November, celebrating in front of a flag that read: "Wales. Golf. Madrid. In that order."  

OptaJose pointed to evidence suggesting Real are in fact a superior team without their two most senior forwards:

64,2% - Real Madrid have won the 64,2% of their games with Gareth Bale & Karim Benzema together on the pitch since 2013/2014 campaing (all comps), compare to 74,2% without both, scoring Real Madrid the same goals per game (2,5). Absences#Supercopa2020 pic.twitter.com/BvkZkm2UT8

— OptaJose (@OptaJose) January 7, 2020

Bale has a contract at the Bernabeu until 2022 and is under no pressure to leave in the near future. Barnett's remarks once again suggest he's content to see out his current terms in Madrid rather than force an exit.

Real Madrid defeated Valencia 3-1 on Wednesday and advanced to the 2020 Supercopa de Espana final in Saudi Arabia.

Los Blancos took control when Toni Kroos' 15th-minute direct corner beat Valencia goalkeeper Jaume Domenech after the German deliberately went for a sensational goal with a quickly-taken shot.

Isco volleyed home six minutes before half-time, making it 2-0 after reacting fastest to Luka Modric's rebounded effort.

Modric got his name on the scoresheet with a superb third after 65 minutes, killing the game and sending his team to Sunday's final against either Barcelona or Atletico Madrid.

Daniel Parejo scored a consolation from the penalty spot after VAR judged handball against Sergio Ramos in the second minute of injury time.

The Supercopa de Espana final will either be a Madrid derby or a Clasico 🤤 pic.twitter.com/sDOJTWwkpk

— B/R Football (@brfootball) January 8, 2020

Zinedine Zidane would have been delighted by his team's performance in Saudi Arabia as they made sure of semi-final success.

Madrid registered 15 games unbeaten in all competitions, and Valencia were outclassed by Zidane's strong starting XI.

It didn't take long for the eventual winners to delight the La Liga fans in Jeddah after Kroos scored one of the best goals of the season directly from a corner.

Domenech was caught off his line as he arranged his defence, and Kross took no time at all to punish him with a sublime curling effort from the improbable angle.

Kroos' goal fired Real onwards and they dominated possession as they chased a second.

Madrid raided the box when Isco found the back of the net, and the midfielder was clinical after controlling the ball on his chest and volleying his shot.

The double allowed Los Blancos to play the rest of the game at their chosen pace, and Los Ches appeared well beaten before the final whistle.

Modric wrapped up the game with a touch of class midway through the second half. The Croatia international tiptoed into the box before curling his shot past the 'keeper with the outside of his right boot.

Parejo's penalty came too late in the day, and Madrid appear in excellent shape before they take on one of their bitter rivals for silverware.

            

What's Next

Both clubs return to La Liga action after the conclusion of the Supercopa de Espana. Madrid host Sevilla on January 18 and Valencia travel to Mallorca on January 19.

Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane has backed striker Luka Jovic to come good in the Spanish capital, and he believes the 22-year-old Serbian international talent is the "future" of the club. 

The former Eintracht Frankfurt man is expected to start the Spanish Super Cup semi-final against Valencia on Wednesday, with several of his team-mates not making the trip to Saudi Arabia. Per Goal's Joe Wright, Zidane has faith in the summer signing, despite his early struggles with Los Blancos:

"The feelings are good, despite the absences. There's a very big squad, and the rest are here to respond.

"Jovic is an obvious option. He is the future. He has to be calm. He is learning.

"He's a boy who wants to learn a lot. He's very good. He'll get a lot of goals. We've backed him, and you have to be calm with him."

Jovic is widely expected to lead the line against Valencia due to the absence of Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale. It's a huge chance for the youngster:

With Benzema not available for the Spanish Supercup, Luka Jovic has a perfect opportunity to shine and prove he can be trusted.

— Lucas Navarrete (@LucasNavarreteM) January 7, 2020

Jovic joined the club as one of the headline signings of the summer, costing the La Liga giants €70 million. He has yet to make a major impact in the capital, starting just three La Liga matches and once in the UEFA Champions League.

His lone goal for the club came in the 5-0 win over Leganes:

The striker is stuck behind Benzema in the pecking order, and thanks to the veteran's strong form, that seems unlikely to change any time soon.

The 32-year-old has bagged 12 goals and five assists in La Liga so far this season and has four more goals and two assists in the Champions League.

Jovic has flashed his considerable talent with Real, even if he hasn't found the net with regularity. That wasn't the case in Germany last season:

He scored 17 goals in the Bundesliga and added 10 more in the UEFA Europa League, explaining why both Real and Barcelona were hot on his heels in the summer. The Catalans were long believed to be favourites to land him, and Frankfurter Allgemeine (h/t Sport) even reported he agreed to terms with the Blaugrana at one point.

It's far too early to give up on such a talented player, especially considering his lack of consistent minutes early in his Real career. The match against Valencia will be a massive opportunity for Jovic, with Los Che collecting just two clean sheets in their last eight matches across all competitions.

The two teams met last month at the Mestalla, playing out a 1-1 draw. Benzema bagged a last-minute equaliser for Los Blancos.

Paris Saint-Germain forward Neymar is a fan of the young Real Madrid duo Rodrygo and Vinicius Jr., urging people to be patient and allow them the time to gain experience and maturity. 

The two Brazilians have settled in nicely at Real, with Rodrygo in particular exceeding expectations early. Speaking to Globo Esporte (h/t ESPN FC's Jonathan Johnson), Neymar opened up on his experience adapting to top-level European football and expressed his hope the two don't lose their enjoyment of the game:

"Both are top players. They are showing that with Real, and I am hoping they can win and enjoy their European footballing experience. As they gain experience and mature, they will become much better than they are now.

"In Brazil, people are in a bit of a rush. They want Rodrygo and Vinicius to crack it soon and blow up the league.

"Adapting is hard. It is tough to go to a high-level club like Real and Barcelona, to name just a few. Both are doing surprisingly well―it shows they have maturity and personality.

"I just hope they keep going like this, stay focused, never stop being happy and enjoying football―I will be one of the spectators."

The 27-year-old was a superstar in his native Brazil at Santos before making the move to Barcelona in 2013. Rodrygo is also a former Santos man in his first season in Madrid, while Vinicius made his name at Flamengo before completing his move to the Bernabeu prior to the 2018/19 campaign.

Between the two, the 18-year-old Rodrygo has made the biggest impact this season, despite being the younger man. He had his best outing in the 6-0 win over Galatasaray, netting his first ever UEFA Champions League hat-trick:

Vinicius has scored once in La Liga and once in the Champions League this season. The 19-year-old winger has mostly featured on the left, while the bulk of Rodrygo's minutes have come on the right wing.

Real are quickly becoming a prime destination for young Brazilians:

- Reinier Jesus
- Rodrygo
- Vinícius Júnior

Madrid is now close to having all three of Brazil’s best upcoming attacking talents. This could either be extremely beneficial to our national team, with the week in week out chemistry, or detrimental to their development.

— Brasil Football 🇧🇷 (@BrasilEdition) January 3, 2020

Per EFE (for AS), attacking midfielder Reinier is close to joining Los Blancos. He'll turn 18 during the January transfer window.

Both Rodrygo and Vinicius have already made their debuts for the national team. They're likely to feature heavily in the team's plans in the coming years, linking up with Neymar.

The three could also meet up in the Spanish capital. While most of the transfer links involving Neymar throughout the summer focused on Barcelona, the PSG man has also been linked with Los Blancos.

According to Marca's Jose Felix Diaz, he wanted to join the club in the summer and shifted his focus to the Blaugrana when Real pulled out. The development of his two international team-mates would add another reason for Neymar to entertain a switch to Madrid.

Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale has been diagnosed with an infection in his upper respiratory tract, Real Madrid announced on Monday. 

Along with Karim Benzema, who was diagnosed with a contusion in his left hamstring, the Welshman will be absent in Saudi Arabia for Real's Spanish Super Cup campaign: 

Both Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale are not travelling with Real Madrid for the Spanish Super Cup.

Benzema has a muscle injury, while Bale has a respiratory problem. pic.twitter.com/jn1XqxlU6L

— GOAL (@goal) January 6, 2020

The latest issue will be a big blow for Bale, as his career at Madrid has been blighted by fitness issues.

It's also unlikely to earn him any further favour with manager Zinedine Zidane in what has been a turbulent campaign for the former Tottenham Hotspur star.

In the summer, Bale was frequently linked with a transfer away from Los Blancos, with a move to Jiangsu Suning of the Chinese Super League falling through.

As he was integrated back into the team, netting two goals and providing two assists in 12 La Liga appearances this term, the 30-year-old has been frequently jeered by the Santiago Bernabeu crowd.

Those boos intensified in November when Bale was pictured on international duty with a now-infamous flag that said "Wales, golf, Madrid" as the Madridistas jested about the player's passion for his country and golf.

Getting back into the team may be a challenge for Bale. In the wide areas, Los Blancos are blessed with options, including summer signing Eden Hazard, although he is also currently sidelined.

The young Brazilian tyros Rodrygo and Vinicius Jr. are other players the Madrid manager can potentially rely upon in Bale's absence. 

Real play Valencia on Wednesday in a semi-final. The final will be on Sunday against the winner of Thursday's semi-final between Barcelona and Atletico Madrid.

Flamengo manager Jorge Jesus believes the club are undervaluing their starlet Reinier Jesus amid continued links to Real Madrid. 

The 17-year-old is considered one of the best prospects in Brazil and has shone in his outings for the club this season. 

Los Blancos are reportedly interested in landing the player in a possible €30 million (£25.5 million) transfer. Speaking to CMTV (h/t Jaime Candil of AS), Jesus said that Flamengo should be getting more money for a player of his talent:

"You can't sell a player like Reinier for €30 million! At Benfica, players would be sold for more than they were actually worth. Flamengo doesn't know how to price their players on their true value."

The player was asked about a possible transfer recently and said "let's wait and see," per Marca.

Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain have also reportedly shown an interest in the teenager, but it's Real Madrid who appear set to win the race for the Brazilian youth international.

With so many high-profile clubs said to be in the hunt for the youngster, for Los Blancos it would be a coup to secure his signature. 

The Reliquias Brasileiras Twitter account provided some of the numbers from Reinier's first season in senior football:

https://twitter.com/reliquiasbr/status/1213522257982570496

Although he's still in the infancy of his career, it's clear from his early appearances that the youngster has a spark.

Whether playing from the flank or behind a striker, Reinier is so fluid with the ball at his feet, able to dribble past opponents with ease and knit play together with his sharp passing.

If the transfer goes through, the youngster will join a huge crop of attacking midfielders at the Santiago Bernabeu:

Real Madrid are going to have Isco, James Rodríguez, Martin Ødegaard, Reinier Jesus, Takefusa Kuboo, and Óscar Rodríguez all under their payroll this year. That’s an incredible plethora of attacking midfielders and, an opportunity for a team to swoop in for one on a cut-rate fee.

— Zach Lowy (@ZachLowy) January 4, 2020

He will also join compatriots Rodrygo and Vinicius Jr., who were both snapped up by Madrid at a young age. Both Brazilian stars are still seeking to cement their status as first-team regulars in Zinedine Zidane's squad.

If Reinier does move on it would be a blow for Flamengo, although the team are in good hands under the tutelage of Jesus. They won the Copa Libertadores in 2019 and are blessed with a number of quality attacking players including Everton Ribeiro and Bruno Henrique.

Flamengo defender Filipe Luis has praised team-mate Reinier Jesus as a "great signing" for Real Madrid amid reports the Brazilian midfielder has agreed to join Los Blancos.

Jose Felix Diaz of Marca wrote Real will officially complete the transfer when Reinier turns 18 on January 19, allegedly beating a list of suitors said to include Barcelona, Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain.

Filipe, 34, left Atletico Madrid on a free transfer to join Flamengo this past summer, and he told David G. Medina of Marca what an impression Reinier has already made on him.

"He has surprised me at 17 in that he always chooses the correct option," he said. "When he has to pass, he passes, he plays with his head up. It really is a great signing; I congratulate Real Madrid."

The Copa Libertadores winner has attracted widespread attention in the Brasileiro Serie A over a matter of months, and Flamengo's latest gem is already seen as a possible star of the national team.

Filipe added: "He isn't 100 per cent ready. He is 17 years old, but has potential and a great future. Nobody is ever ready for a leap so vast at that age, but in the future he will be a great signing."

Real will have an eye on the futures of 34-year-old Luka Modric, whose contract expires in 2021, and Toni Kroos, who celebrated his 30th birthday on Saturday.

Reinier would not be the first Brazilian prodigy to join Real's ranks in recent years. The Spanish titans acquired Rodrygo Goes, 18, and Vinicius Jr., 19, in the past two years for around €45 million apiece.

AS recently tabbed that both Brazilian prospects and Japanese wonderkid Takefusa Kubo, currently impressing on loan at Mallorca, as being part of Real's next wave in youth talent:

Real Madrid: Europe's third most proactive youth recruiters over the past decade.
(via @sportCIES study) https://t.co/SZL9NhFXig pic.twitter.com/9HGS5jjhwJ

— AS USA (@English_AS) December 21, 2019

Reinier is expected to report for duty with Real Castilla, the club's reserve side, for a time before he moves into the senior selection, though Rodrygo moved into the first team almost immediately this term due to injuries out wide.

Filipe agreed to a point with comparisons between Reinier and former Brazil talisman Kaka: "I remember Kaka because he played with his head up, and he was lethal in the area. Reinier has even more quality than Kaka with his back to goal. Time will tell whether or not he is like Kaka."

Los Blancos could free space for Reinier's arrival by offloading James Rodriguez this winter, though Sport Witness doubted reports from El Desmarque suggesting he'll link up with Carlo Ancelotti at Everton:

James Rodriguez | 'Bombazo' say El Desmarque as 'everything indicates' player will sign for Everton.

Feels very much like speculation dressed up (in parts, in other parts it’s clearly presented as speculation) as something more concrete.https://t.co/9j9zLLDU6d #efc #coyb

— Sport Witness (@Sport_Witness) December 30, 2019

Filipe's comments suggest there are those at Flamengo who appear convinced Reinier's transfer to the Santiago Bernabeu will go through, with Real seemingly set to secure another potential Selecao superstar.

Reinier's transfer from Flamengo to Real Madrid appears to be inching ever closer, but both the player and his team's vice-president have denied rumours the move is already done and dusted.

The 17-year-old prospect has been widely linked with a move to the Spanish capital, and Marca reported on Saturday the deal is done:

A new signing is heading for the Bernabeu 🤩@realmadriden have agreed a deal to sign Reinier Jesus from Flamengo

🔜✍

Full story: https://t.co/oVKpqyxUQJ pic.twitter.com/AjwvBfLQhC

— MARCA in English 🇺🇸 (@MARCAinENGLISH) January 4, 2020

Those reports appear to be premature, however. Per EFE (for AS), the attacking midfielder said "we have to wait" when asked about the speculation. Flamengo vice-president Marcos Braz also played down reports the move is done, saying "the offer has to come first."

According to UOL Esporte (h/t AS), Real have agreed to trigger Reinier's €35 million release clause. Flamengo will receive 80 percent of that fee, with the rest going to the player and his family.

The teenager will become the latest Brazilian talent to make the move to Real, joining Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo, who were both signed as teenagers.

Per Brazilian youth football expert Andre Noruega, that approach is the result of Los Blancos missing out on Neymar, who joined Barcelona in 2013:

Real Madrid will never forget when they lost out on Brazils top talent at the time, Neymar, so now they continue their yearly "we will buy the top rated u20 brazilian each year" tactic. Reinier Jesus to Real Madrid for €35m very close. Details of when transfer happens remains. https://t.co/FrvEmqLMoZ

— André 'Noruega' Østgaard (@AndreOstgaard) January 3, 2020

Vinicius had barely played for Flamengo's senior team when Real made their move, and Rodrygo had done most of his damage with Brazil's youth team, making a limited impact for Santos' senior squad.

Reinier's senior debut only came in the summer of 2019, but the youngster has done nothing but impress since. The attacking midfielder is something of a throwback, drawing comparisons to former AC Milan star Kaka.

Like his compatriot, he's a threat as a scorer and a passer and wants to be on the ball at all times. He plays with composure and patience, can change speeds in the blink of an eye and can dribble his way out of tricky situations with ease.

Reinier will turn 18 on January 19 and has been working with the Brazilian under-23 side in anticipation of February's pre-Olympics. Given his young age, he'll likely join up with Real Madrid Castilla once he puts pen to paper.

Dani Carvajal has praised his team-mate Thibaut Courtois for keeping Real Madrid in the game in their La Liga clash with Getafe on Saturday.

Los Blancos ran out 3-0 winners, although the game was a lot closer than the scoreline suggested. Madrid required Courtois to be at his best at the Coliseum Alfonso Perez, as he was called into action a number of times to thwart attempts from the home side.

The performance continued what has been an encouraging recent run of form from the Belgium international, and Carvajal singled him out for praise after the game, per Marca:

"He kept us in the match with his two or three great saves. Nobody doubted his potential, not even himself. He is a great goalkeeper and I'm sure he'll win us many more points

"...It was an important win. We had been playing well recently, but had only taken three points out of nine and you need to win three points each time to fight for the title. It was a great effort from the team and we deserved the win."

The win was crucial for Madrid, as it applied pressure on Barcelona later in the day, who visited rivals Espanyol; the Blaugrana were only able to draw 2-2 against La Liga's bottom side, meaning they and Los Blancos are level on points at the top of the table.

Here are the highlights from Madrid's win at Getafe, with Raphael Varane's brace and Luka Modric's late effort giving Zinedine Zidane's team a vital victory:

Although they are still a work in progress this season, the signs are there that Madrid are on an upward trajectory, with the team shoring up their defensive play. Courtois' form has been crucial to that process.

In the previous campaign, Courtois struggled following his transfer from Chelsea, making numerous costly errors. The goalkeeper lacked the confidence and authority that made him such an effective operator in the Premier League.

But he's been making steady improvements since Zidane took charge and has been responsible for a number of solid defensive displays from Los Blancos as of late. Spanish football writer Dermot Corrigan provided the numbers behind the keeper's improved form:

Courtois now has seven clean sheets in his last nine La Liga games - just nine goals conceded in total in 15 games. Despite all that anxiety earlier in season etc.

— Dermot Corrigan (@dermotmcorrigan) January 4, 2020

ESPN's David Cartlidge said that Courtois is beginning to look at home in the Real Madrid jersey:

Took on a lot of criticism when he first joined/just after but Courtois very settled, confident and commanding now. Clearly feels like he is rightly at Real Madrid - just looked unsure of himself for some time.

— David Cartlidge (@davidjaca) January 4, 2020

With Sergio Ramos missing the match at Getafe through suspension, Zidane would have wanted other senior members of his squad to show leadership. You suspect the assuredness with which Courtois played and the big moments he produced would have delighted the manager.

If Madrid are to challenge for major honours this season, then Courtois will need to continue this form. Not only are they locked in what promises to be an intense battle with Barcelona domestically, in the UEFA Champions League they face a difficult last-16 showdown with Manchester City.

Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane has confirmed Eden Hazard will not be fit to take part in the Supercopa de Espana.

The Belgian has not played since he suffered a microfracture in his ankle against Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League on November 26.

Zidane discussed the possibility of him featuring in the Supercopa and whether any players might leave Real in January, per Tom Allnutt of Agence France-Presse:

Zidane suggests January departures possible.

"There are players that have not got minutes and that can be a problem but we speak with them like always. Between now and Jan 31 many things can happen."

— Tom Allnutt (@TomAllnutt_) January 3, 2020

Real play Valencia in the semi-final of the Supercopa on Wednesday before a potential final against Barcelona or Atletico Madrid on January 12.

Los Blancos will hope to have Hazard back in action on January 18 when they take on Sevilla in La Liga.

The Belgian had only contributed one goal and four assists in 13 matches for Real since his arrival from Chelsea in the summer.

However, his form had been picking up prior to his injury, and goals would likely have soon followed.

What's more, he's an electric presence in the final third thanks to his pace and almost unrivalled dribbling ability, which often prompts opposition players to target him:

1030 – Eden Hazard has won 1030 fouls in the top 5 leagues in the past decade, at least 233 more than any other player. Garden 👨‍🌾. @hazardeden10 @ChelseaFC #Opta2010s pic.twitter.com/zVeonVQvIS

— OptaJean (@OptaJean) December 27, 2019

As for January, speculation surrounding Gareth Bale will likely resurface again after he came close to leaving Los Blancos in the summer.

Injuries have restricted the Welshman to just 13 appearances this season, and he's played just 847 minutes overall.

However, Zidane said in November he did not want the winger to leave in January. Likewise, the coach said the same of Vinicius Jr. later in that month amid talk the 19-year-old could leave on loan in the winter.

Vinicius was a regular fixture in the side last season, but he has spent just 699 minutes on the pitch in this campaign.

Calciomercato.com (h/t MailOnline's Max Winters) reported in December that summer signing Luka Jovic could be loaned out, despite arriving for an initial €65 million in the summer.

The striker has played just 423 minutes across 14 appearances, an average of 30 minutes per outing, scoring once.

Managing Madrid's Matt Wiltse believes he has been a little unfortunate, though:

Luka Jovic has just the 1 goal this season, but in a hypothetical situation where all his unlucky bounces, woodwork hit, and disallowed goals went in, he would probably have 5 or 6 goals at this point. Probably worth at least 3 points on the La Liga table.

— Matt (@MattW_MM) December 22, 2019

Given their investment in the 22-year-old, Real aren't likely to write him off this early, but spending his time on the sidelines won't do much for his development or confidence.

Karim Benzema has 16 goals and seven assists in all competitions this season, so Jovic isn't going to find many opportunities forthcoming if the Frenchman remains fit.

However, there's only one other centre-forward in Real's senior squad, Mariano Diaz. Given Diaz hasn't made a single appearance this season, offloading him will likely be a higher priority than Jovic.