Odriozola’s last visit to Anoeta as a Real Madrid player

Álvaro Odriozola look set to return to the Reale Arena on Tuesday night for the last time as a Real Madrid player. Next season however, he could be involved in this very fixture but on the opposing side, with his old club, Real Sociedad. The San Sebastián-born right-back will be out of contract in June 2024 so will be spending this summer looking for a way out of Real Madrid. And after two, previous, failed attempts to return home, it could be a case of third time lucky for the 27-year-old. Going back to his hometown club, where he came through the youth system, could be an ideal solution for Odriozola who has never quite cut it in Madrid.

Odriozola was lured away from Real Sociedad to join Madrid on a €32.00 million deal in July 2018. But he never replicated the form he showed at his first club under a succession of coaches in the capital - or during loan spells at Bayern Munich and Fiorentina. This season he has hardly made a handful of appearances - two brief run-outs in the league as a late sub against Elche and Valladolid, the final seconds of the Club World Cup semi-final against Al-Ahly and a couple of Copa cameos. He’s featured just once in the starting XI, against Cacereño in the Copa Third Round, but quit the field injured at the start of the second half.

Summer move fell through

This summer is the perfect time to consider returning home. Zubieta would be only to happy to welcome back one of their prodigal sons and the player is open to regressing to La Real. As Álvaro will soon be entering the final year of his contract, Real Madrid will try to get some kind of fee for the defender rather than let him leave for free next summer. If Real Sociedad decide to recover him, this could be their chance. Last summer, in the final days of the transfer window, an approach was made, but it was left only in conversations. Odriozola had a concrete offer on the table from Inter Milan that ultimately failed to materialise.

In the recent winter window, conversations between the two clubs were more fluid, with a transfer as a backdrop, But Madrid’s high demands ruined a possible agreement. Odriozola was very excited about the possibility of closing the operation. This summer, that option can be opened again, and would have the approval of the player himself, with the dream prospect of playing the Champions League with the Txuri-urdin. La Real, who are five points clear in fourth, are looking to reinforce both full-back positions and Odriozola’s return would be a popular move with the fans. The relationship between the two clubs is excellent, which may favour the final agreement.