Ødegaard waiting for Liverpool to call despite Bundesliga option

Now that the team is back in the capital following the stage in Canada and mini-tour of the United States, Real Madrid have started the process of finding new clubs for some of the youth team players who were given opportunities over the summer. Martin Ødegaard, Marcos Llorente and Mariano will not return to Castilla for the new season and will be loaned out to gain regular playing time. In Ødegaard's case, there have been advances made during the past few days with Bayer Leverkusen and Hamburg expressing an interest in the Norwegian teenager.

Madrid officials view the Bundesliga option positively - Borja Mayoral recently started his loan spell with Wolfsburg and Dani Carvajal flourished during his time with Bayer Leverkusen. But  Ødegaard and his father Hans-Erik are waiting for a phonecall from Liverpool. When the young midfielder was testing the water with some of Europe's top sides while he was still at Strømgodset, he has his father was left impressed by the Reds facilities at Melwood. In January 2015, before he signed for Real Madrid, Liverpool was the closest to signing him.

FIFA transfer ban verdict 

Real Madrid expect to hear a definitive decision on their appeal against the transfer ban imposed by FIFA which would leave them unable to register players for two inscription periods. Officials believe a verdict will be announced by the end of next week (11th or 12th August at the latest) and they must complete any loan operations before the announcement. That way they will guarantee that they will be able to register the players who have been loaned out when they return to the club for the start of the  2017-18 season. If players are loaned out after the appeal verdict, Madrid will not be able to register them next term. At the moment, offers have been received for Ødegaard, Marcos Llorente and Mariano but the time needed to close those loan deals is running out.