Real Madrid round-up: US tour, Rodrygo, Carvajal, Theo, LaLiga...
Today's bitesize Real Madrid tidbits feature Rodrygo's World Cup ambitions, Dani Carvajal in Panama, confirmation of LaLiga kick-off times, and more...
Real Madrid kick off US tour
Real Madrid set off this afternoon for Miami, where they will face Manchester United on 1 August in the first of three International Champions Cup clashes in the United States. Julen Lopetegui's men then take on Juventus (who, sadly, will be without recent Real departee Cristiano Ronaldo) in Maryland four days later, before rounding off their mini-tour against Roma in New Jersey on 8 August.
Theo Hernández close to Real Sociedad loan
One man who is not expected to be part of Real's travelling party is Theo Hernández, who is on the verge of moving to fellow LaLiga club Real Sociedad on a season-long loan, which won't include a purchase option. The 20-year-old, who joined from city rivals Atlético last summer after impressing on loan at Alavés, failed to live up to expectations in a difficult first season at the Bernabéu.
It's understood that Real won't be signing anyone to step into Theo's shoes as understudy to first-choice left-back Marcelo, with academy players Sergio Reguilón and Fran García both highly-rated within the club, and versatile defender Nacho Fernández also available to Lopetegui.
Rodrygo: "I don't want to be the new Neymar or Robinho"
45m-euro signing Rodrygo Goes, who is due to arrive at Real in 2019, may be the latest Brazilian attacking wonderkid to graduate from the Santos academy, but that's where he wants the comparisons with a couple of other notable club youth products to end. "I don't want to be the new Neymar or the new Robinho, I am Rodrygo," the 17-year-old told O Estado de Sao Paulo yesterday, adding that his sights are already set on a place in Brazil's Qatar World Cup squad in four (and a bit) years' time: "The day Brazil were eliminated [from Russia 2018], I talked with my father and said: 'Now we have to train a lot, in 2022 we have to be there.'"
Carvajal in Panama
Before joining up with Real Madrid's pre-season preparations, right-back Dani Carvajal is enjoying the final days of his summer holidays - the latest leg of which has taken him to Panama. While in the Central American country, the Spain international took the opportunity to pay a visit to a kids' football training session at a sports centre in the capital, Panama City, yesterday.
LaLiga week two kick-off time confirmed
The schedule for week two of the 2018/19 LaLiga season was confirmed yesterday, with Real Madrid's trip to face Girona at Montilivi - where Los Merengues will be looking to avenge last season's surprise 2-1 defeat to the Catalans - set for 22:15 CEST on Sunday 26 August.