Transfer Rumours | Tactics | Who to buy/sell etc

El Chiringuito journalist Francois Gallardo has insisted that the Spain international is trying to force his way to Santiago Bernabeu.

“There is an international player who has told his club that he wants to play for Real Madrid,” Gallardo told the programme.

“He’s already been sounded out in the past by Real Madrid, and also Barcelona.

“It’s Javi Martinez, and he’s hoping to play for Real Madrid.”

Real Madrid have opened talks with Chelsea over signing Thibaut Courtois, currently on loan at Atletico Madrid, reports say.

AS claims Madrid President Florentino Perez is an admirer of the Belgium international and his good relationship with Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho, formerly of Madrid, has led to talks getting underway.

Atletico have had Courtois on loan from Chelsea for the last three seasons and want him again next year but Courtois, contracted to Chelsea until 2016, wants to be first choice at Stamford Bridge.

That, considering the form and fitness of Petr Cech, is however considered unlikely, which could lead to Courtois leaving Chelsea without ever having played a game in their colours.

Atleti Coach Diego Simeone is said to have made retaining the goalkeeper the club’s priority and negotiations are on-going. If Atletico decide they can’t afford to buy Courtois outright, it’s been proposed that Chelsea extend his contract by 12 months and he returns to Vicente Calderon for a fourth loan spell.

Chelsea had initially wanted to loan Courtois to a Premier League club after two years in Spain but Courtois liked it so much at Atleti that he insisted on being allowed to return if he wasn’t going to usurp Cech.

Atletico are said to be aware of Madrid’s attempts to snatch Courtois away and are not happy with them, but the 21-year-old’s future is currently unclear.

Carlo Ancelotti has praised the form of Sergio Ramos and explained the methods behind Real Madrid’s miserly defence.

Madrid have conceded only three goals in La Liga since the turn of the year, compared to eight for Barcelona and Atletico Madrid respectively.

Ancelotti, speaking to Canal +, said that the balance in the team combined with the upturn in form of Ramos have contributed to a more robust defensive unit.

“[Balance] is the most important thing in football,” Ancelotti argued.

“Defensive work doesn’t require creativity or skill. You can quickly fix any mistakes and we’ve done that, not just by changing our system but also because the players now understand how important it is to recover possession.

“The squad is very able in carrying out defensive work. And we’re seeing the real Ramos now, not the player from November or December.”

Ancelotti added that the formation deployed by Madrid is not necessarily the one he prefers, but simply the one he feels best suits the squad he has to hand.

“My system is the one in which the players feel most comfortable and convinced - not the one I might have in my head,” the former Paris Saint-Germain Coach confirmed.

“The system has changed as the season has developed because at the start, we were without Xabi [Alonso] and [Asier] Illarramendi.

“The players feel comfortable now, not because I say so, that’s what they tell me.”

Ancelotti expanded on his bond with the Madrid players, stressing how vital it is to any success Los Blancos will have.

“It’s very important to have a good relationship with the players - you need to understand them and analyse their characteristics,” Ancelotti said.

“I have an idea about football and I have to construct that using the characteristics of the squad and transmit that to them out on the pitch.

“If the relationship [between Coach and players] is good, it’s easier to get that message across.

“Any team needs to resolve problems as quickly as possible,” he continued.

“I have two ways of getting angry - one is mental anger when I think we can do things in a different way, the other is being angry in my heart which is the most effective.

“But it’s difficult to express emotions in a language which is not your own. I usually do it in Italian.”

Matyas Tajti is a 15-year-old Hungarian lad that Real Madrid and Barcelona are competing to sign. However, everything points to Real Madrid looking more likely to bring in the starlet.

In September, he caught Barça's attention when he was named player of the tournament at an under-16 event organised by Gica Hagi. The Catalan giants invited him for a trial with them in December.

However, Real has the upper hand. The lad plays at the Puskas Academy, which has a collaborative agreement with Madrid. Due to that, Matyas travelled to Valdebebas at the end of January to train for a few days and showcase his skills in a couple of games with 'Los Blancos'.

Real's academy directors liked what they saw and are already in talks with their counterparts at the Puskas Academy to sign him.
That said, it will not happen before 2nd June, when he celebrates his sixteenth birthday, so as to not infringe any FIFA rules. In April, he will face his final test when he plays against Real Madrid in the Puskas Cup.

Despite it being possible in the YouTube age for any talented kid to showcase his skills to big clubs and earn a trial with them, young stars of the future are still signed the old-fashioned way too, with scouts, tip-offs and invitations to trials.

Rumours that Real Madrid will bid to sign Paul Pogba continue to gather pace, with Marca suggesting Zinedine Zidane will be personally involved.

The Juventus youngster has been consistently linked with a switch away from Turin, with Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester United and Real Madrid all said to be interested.

And the Madrid-based paper has reported this morning that Los Blancos’ former midfielder and current assistant will try and persuade his countryman to choose Santiago Bernabeu as his next destination.

Zidane has been persistently going to the board at Real Madrid, asking them to stump up the cash for the 20-year-old, such is the belief in his talent.

And President Florentino Perez is apparently happy to back Zizou’s judgement, after he did the same for Raphael Varane.

A report in Spain has claimed Thibaut Courtois will see out his Chelsea contract and then join Real Madrid.

El Larguero on Cadena Ser reports that Courtois has turned down a permanent move to Atletico Madrid and instead plans to stay at Stamford Bridge for the final two years of his existing deal and then move to Santiago Bernabeu.

The report adds that Chelsea don’t expect Courtois to extend his contract with the club because he has already made up his mind to join Madrid at the first possible opportunity.

For their part, Chelsea want to either sell Courtois for a hefty sum or retain him for the duration of his contract.

Courtois joined Chelsea from Genk in 2011 but has never played for the Blues - he was immediately loaned to Atletico, where he has remained ever since.

An unnamed Premier League club recently failed with a big-money move for Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos, according to the player's agent.

Ramos has two and a half years left on his current contract at the Santiago Bernabeu and, as yet, there have been no talks over a renewel.

And Rene Ramos, the centre-back's brother and representative, says that he rejected an approach from England in recent months.

"Out of respect to the club I will only say that they are English," he told Marca.

"The offers are enormous in economical terms, but we are at the club we want to be at. The best in the world.

"So, more than once, I had to say “thanks very much for your interest, but no”. I reiterate, right now, leaving Real Madrid is a non-starter."

The Blancos sit level on points with Atletico Madrid at the top of La Liga, behind on head to head record but with a game in hand ahead of Sunday's clash with Levante.

There is no agreement for Thibaut Courtois to join Real Madrid in 2016 as he has yet to hold talks with Chelsea about his future, according to the goalkeeper's father.

Courtois is currently spending a third straight season on loan with Atletico Madrid but he is expected to return to Stamford Bridge in the summer after Jose Mourinho revealed recently that another loan spell was unlikely.

The 21-year-old's long-term future remains the topic of intense speculation, though, with Spanish radio station Cadena Ser reporting that Real are poised to snap him up.

It has been suggested that Real will sign Courtois on a free transfer in 2016 when his Chelsea contract expires, if they cannot convince the Blues to part with him at the end of this term.

However, Courtois' father has dismissed the latest rumours as an attempt to unsettle his son and Real's title rivals Atletico, telling the Belgian press that there have been no talks yet with Chelsea.

"It's an attempt to destabilise Atletico," Thierry Courtois is quoted as telling La Derniere Heure.

"There hasn't been any contact with Real. Our negotiations with Chelsea still have to start.

"And Chelsea would never let him go that way, when his contract has expired. Thibaut is now focused on the season with Atletico and the Champions League."

It has been reported that Real Madrid have asked to meet Juventus to discuss negotiations for midfielder Paul Pogba.

El Confidencial claim that Los Blancos have requested to meet with the Italian side’s hierarchy to enquire about the France international.

The former Manchester United youngster has been heavily linked with a switch away from Turin this summer, with Paris Saint-Germain, the Santiago Bernabeu outfit and his previous employers all supposedly keen.

Marca claimed over the weekend that Madrid assistant Zinedine Zidane had set his sights of signing Pogba for the Santiago Bernabeu outfit.

And El Confidencial believe that the wheels have been put in motion to start that process, by asking members of the Juve board to meet.

Whether they will accept that proposal however, is another matter.