Carreras’ Move on Hold Due to Benfica’s Demands

Real Madrid’s hopes of signing Álvaro Carreras have hit a wall. Negotiations with Benfica are stalled after the Portuguese club refused to lower its €50 million release clause for the 22-year-old Spanish full-back. Despite already agreeing on personal terms for a five-year contract, Los Blancos have been unable to reach a deal with the Lisbon-based club.

Reports indicate that Real Madrid are offering a package worth between €35 and €40 million, but Benfica remains firm in demanding the full clause. With the Club World Cup squad deadline looming on June 10, time is running out.

Grimaldo, the Plan B Xabi Knows Well

With negotiations for Carreras going nowhere, Xabi Alonso and Madrid’s recruitment team are exploring other alternatives. One of them is Álex Grimaldo, who had a stellar campaign under Alonso at Bayer Leverkusen. The 29-year-old Spanish left-back is reportedly open to joining a top-tier club, and Real Madrid see him as a strong fit, especially given his prior experience and tactical familiarity with Alonso’s system.

Grimaldo, formerly of Benfica, has been on the radar of top clubs for years and could finally make the leap to the Santiago Bernabéu if the deal is finalized. He would join Dean Huijsen and Trent Alexander-Arnold as defensive reinforcements in what’s shaping up to be a busy summer for Madrid.

Real Madrid will begin their Club World Cup campaign on June 18 against Al-Hilal, marking the start of a new era under Xabi Alonso. Whether Carreras joins the squad remains to be seen, but if not, Grimaldo may be the one to wear the white shirt in the upcoming season.