Brahim Diaz, Real Madrid player
Photo by Jose Manuel Alvarez Rey/Getty Images
According to Mundo Deportivo, Juventus have not abandoned their pursuit of Brahim Diaz despite the Real Madrid midfielder rejecting their approach during the summer.
It must be remembered that during the summer the Italian club arranged a meeting with Real Madrid through the player’s agent in an attempt to find a way to bring the 27-year-old to Turin.
Brahim ultimately decided to remain at the Bernabeu.
Notably, that has not ended Juventus’ interest, as his name has returned to the club’s list of future targets.
Juventus still have Brahim on their radar
Brahim’s situation makes any potential deal difficult because his current contract runs until 2027, but an extension through 2030 has already been agreed in principle.
Brahim Diaz, Real Madrid player
Juventus have not given up on signing Brahim Diaz. (Photo by Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images)
The deal has been waiting for the final signature for months.
Mundo Deportivo cites that Juventus’ midfield shortlist includes Napoli’s Stanislav Lobotka and Manchester City’s Mateo Kovacic.
“In midfield, two particularly interesting names stand out: Stanislav Lobotka of Napoli, and Mateo Kovacic, whose spell at Manchester City is clearly drawing to a close,” they say.
Despite that, Brahim remains the standout name for the longer term.
Real Madrid extension could complicate Juventus plans
The Spanish outlet describes the Real Madrid midfielder as Juventus’ principal future target, while also pointing to the delay over his new contract.
Brahim Diaz, Real Madrid player
Brahim Diaz has agreed a contract renewal with Real Madrid. (Photo by Jose Manuel Alvarez Rey/Getty Images)
“The main target for the future remains Brahim Diaz of Real Madrid.
“A contract extension until June 2030 has been on Florentino Perez’s desk for almost a year, awaiting a signature: a simple stroke of the pen that keeps being postponed indefinitely.”
Brahim’s decision to reject Juventus in the summer shows that his immediate preference remains Real Madrid, and the pending extension could provide another indication of his long-term plans once it is formally signed.
As a result, that leaves a familiar problem for Juventus: the player they wanted has already turned them down, but the Italian club appears determined to keep the door open.
Jose Mourinho, Manager of Real Madrid
Jose Mourinho, Manager of Real Madrid
It is only September, and Real Madrid are already on the verge of a defensive crisis with injuries hitting key names.
Eder Militao has been out of action for a long time now, and while his return is close, it is a long way before he emerges as a regular name in the starting lineup.
Ibrahima Konate, who arrived in the summer to add depth at centre-back, meanwhile, was injured during the international break and there is a grey area around when he will return in full capacity.
A third blow recently hit Los Blancos as Raul Asencio was confirmed to have undergone surgery, ruling him out in the medium term as well. Needless to say, the department suddenly appears fragile.
Three academy standouts
Joan Martínez of Real Madrid
Joan Martinez is a top talent. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)
Jose Mourinho has not particularly shown any interest in promoting homegrown academy stars so far this season, but Defensa Central bring to light that he is now seriously considering that route at centre-back.
The manager has three players as his backup resources in the department – Diego Aguado, Joan Martinez and Oscar Naasei.
The former two players have already been monitored closely by the management in pre-season and have been considered top defensive prospects for a long time now.
Naasei, meanwhile, only arrived in the summer and has stood out with his quality.
With Mourinho looking towards them as realistic options for the first time, they could well earn call-ups and minutes in the coming months, especially if Los Blancos are hit with any further setbacks. His faith in the players, after all, is complete.
The vicious cycle
Jose Mourinho, Manager of Real Madrid
Mourinho must have patience with the youngsters. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
Naasei, Martinez and Aguado are all highly rated young prospects who have sparked interest from several first-division teams. Yet, they continue to be at Real Madrid only because they deeply desire to make it big at the club.
The current situation, in that sense, marks a special opportunity for all three youngsters as it is the closest they have been to earning minutes under Mourinho. Yet, they stare at a difficult vicious cycle that they must break free from.
As standouts of the Castilla side, there is no doubt that they have the potential to make it massive at the elite level. To do so, however, they require the first-team manager to trust them and back them at their lows.
To earn that same trust, however, they have to show the manager their potential, which again brings their situation to square one.
Patience, in that sense, is the key ingredient in enabling a young prospect to become an elite name. If Mourinho opts to hand one of the three their chance, he must thus stay patient and give them an adaptation window.