REAL MADRID
Nacho’s departure could open the door for Leny Yoro at Real Madrid
The captain is considering his future. His departure would facilitate Leny Yoro’s arrival from Lille this summer - ahead of schedule.
With just a few hours until Spain kick off their Euro 2024 campaign against Croatia, there remains a great deal of uncertainty regarding Nacho’s future. The Real Madrid defender’s contract expires on 30 June - in little over over a fortnight’s time and much of the chat doing the rounds concerns a lucrative two-year offer to play in Saudi Arabia with Al Ittihad - a proposal that would allow the 34-year-old to quadruple the salary he currently earns at the Bernabéu.
Nacho, an entire career at Real Madrid
Nacho entered Madrid’s youth academy in 2001, came through the ranks to end up captaining Castilla. Since making his first team debut under Jose Mourinho in 2011, he has shown himself to be one of the most versatile players in the squad and while he has only had a handful of seasons where he has been given regular run-outs, he has consistently delivered whenever he can been called on and got Madrid out of difficult situations on a number of occasions
But even after last season, when he made a total of 45 appearances - the most he has ever made in 14 seasons with the senior side, Nacho feels that his role within the squad has not evolved in Ancelotti’s estimation and that he has been overlooked in key games - such as the first leg of the Champions League quarter final against Manchester City or the Clásico at the Bernabéu. All of that has made him think about moving on.
While first-choice centre-backs Militão and Alaba were out with long-term injuries, Nacho participated in 45 games out of a possible 55, missing three due to expulsions (two against Girona and one against Alavés). But now that Militão has fully recovered and is available again and with Alaba due back in a couple of months, along with the presence of Rüdiger and Rafa Marín’s possible return from loan at Alavés, Nacho sees his playing options reduced yet again.
Leny Yoro set for Real Madrid move
That’s not the only reason why Nacho is weighing up his options. Real Madrid are at the head of the queue to sign Lille’s young centre-back Leny Yoro, who aspires to sign for Los Blancos either this summer (in such a scenario, he would go out on loan, if Nacho decide to accept a one-year extension) or in 2025 on a free.
However, if Nacho leaves, the door will be open for Yoro. It would also effectively leave everything down to the young French defender, who would have to decide whether to hold out for another year, run his contract down and sign for Madrid on 1 January - or accept one of the other offers that are currently on the table from other clubs. PSG, Liverpool and Manchester United have shown a strong interest in the talented teenager. Madrid meanwhile have made their position clear: they are prepared to pay a maximum of 40 million euros for the player this summer, no more - or wait to sign him as a free agent next season.
Basically, it means that as it stands, Madrid’s plan to sign Yoro would be activated if Nacho decides not to continue for another season. The only unknown is whether it will happen this summer or next year (2025). Yoro would join up with his compatriots Mbappé, Mendy, Camavinga and Tchouameni. He would be the fifth French player in the first team squad and would reinforce an area in which most of the players, except for Militão (and if Rafa Marín ends up arriving), are over 30 years old. But for that to happen, Nacho must choose: whether to open the door to Yoro... or not just yet.