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Leading members of the dressing room at La Liga giants Real Madrid have called for the club to part with Federico Valverde this summer.
This of course comes fresh off a drama-filled week for the Uruguayan in Spain’s capital.
Valverde was at the heart of world football’s most discussed story last Thursday, after being involved in a physical altercation with teammate and midfield partner Aurélien Tchouaméni.
As much culminated in the former being taken to hospital, after suffering a cut on his head which required stitches.
This is understood to have been far from the first occasion on which Valverde got under the skin of his teammates across the season to date, amid an increasingly tense atmosphere at Valdebebas.
And if the latest word stemming from the Spanish media early this week is anything to go by, then it would appear that some members of Álvaro Arbeloa’s squad have had just about enough of the 27-year-old’s antics.
As per a report from journalist Ramón Álvarez de Mon:
‘There are players with weight in Real Madrid’s locker room who are asking the club for Valverde’s departure this summer. A very delicate issue to manage due to Valverde’s track record at Madrid.’
> 🚨Hay jugadores con peso en el vestuario del Real Madrid que piden al club la salida de Valverde este verano. Tema muy delicado de gestionar por el recorrido de Valverde en el Madrid. [pic.twitter.com/UtmwAs4rf1](https://t.co/UtmwAs4rf1)
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> — Ramón Álvarez de Mon (@Ramon\_AlvarezMM) [May 11, 2026](https://twitter.com/Ramon_AlvarezMM/status/2053788844521144667?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)
Conor Laird – GSFN