Real Madrid ‘appreciate’ 27-year-old World Cup winner; deal hinges on sales

Real Madrid ‘appreciate’ 27-year-old World Cup winner; deal hinges on sales

Jose Mourinho has arrived in the Spanish capital with a set of plans for how he wants to revamp the team, and he has wasted no time doing it.

Real Madrid have already wrapped up as many as four signings despite it being a World Cup year, and it looks like they still dream of more.

There is no doubt that a new midfielder is on Jose Mourinho’s wishlist, and different names have been floated as potential targets for Los Blancos.

Among them is Alexis Mac Allister, the Liverpool star admired by Madrid. However, there is no imminent move for him at this stage.

According to Fabrizio Romano (h/t Madrid Zone), Real Madrid like and appreciate the 2022 World Cup winner, and he is one of the players the club have been monitoring.

Real Madrid appreciate Alexis Mac Allister. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)

However, any operation is not advanced right now because Madrid need to sell players first. That detail matters.

Mac Allister is an easy profile to understand from Mourinho’s perspective. He is technically clean, tactically intelligent, proven in the Premier League and experienced at the highest international level with Argentina.

Sales must come first

The problem is not admiration, it is feasibility. Liverpool are unlikely to make negotiations simple, and Mac Allister remains an important player at Anfield.

This is why Madrid’s outgoing market is so important. If the club move on midfielders or clear major wages, the picture could change. Without that, Mac Allister may remain more of a liked name than an active target.

There is also competition inside Madrid’s squad. Federico Valverde is expected to stay and become captain, while the futures of Aurelien Tchouameni and Eduardo Camavinga are still not clear.

A smart name, but not a priority yet

Will Real Madrid move for Alexis Mac Allister? (Photo by Jack Thomas/Getty Images)

Mac Allister would bring control, pressing intelligence and versatility. He can play as an interior, help in deeper build-up and give Mourinho a midfielder who understands both possession and intensity.

That makes him a sensible name for Madrid’s list. Liverpool’s valuation, Madrid’s need to sell and the player’s own position will all decide whether this ever becomes serious.

There are other names that Los Blancos are tracking for the same position, such as Enzo Fernandez from Chelsea and Matheus Fernandes from West Ham United.

Thus, it feels like Mourinho is still figuring out the profile of the midfielder he wants to add to the squad this summer.

It remains to be seen whether sales create room and Madrid make a move for the Argentine midfielder in the coming weeks.