The headline departure is likely to be Antonio Rudiger, who before the arrival of Dean Huijsen was a de facto starter, and two seasons ago, one of their most consistent players. Things started to go poorly for the 32-year-old around this time last year though, when Rudiger was diagnosed by the club of having arthritic knees. As Real Madrid’s defence crumbled around him, and he battled on through injuries, Rudiger’s performances began to drop, and exit talk rose earlier this year.

After surgery in May, Rudiger looked less assured at the Club World Cup and the early games this season, making some obvious mistakes. He has now been ruled out until at least December, and if Real Madrid had any doubt, this will confirm to them that it is the time to move on from Rudiger. This summer Saudi Arabia showed interest in the Germany international.

Following him through the door is likely to be David Alaba, who has similarly been involved in an almighty war with his knees since his horrific cruciate ligament injury in 2023. Alaba similarly returned in January, but is yet to look the same, and also underwent surgery again in May.

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Playing his first minutes since for Austria earlier this month, but is yet to be used by Xabi Alonso, a sign he does not have much of a future at the club. The fact he is one of the highest earners at Real Madrid all but ensures he will be looking for a new club. Alaba was linked with Fiorentina amongst others including Saudi Arabia this summer, an indicator that Los Blancos were willing to move on already - Alaba has called the transfer stories ‘lies.’

Barcelona

For Barcelona, the big question next summer is how they will replace Robert Lewandowski. The 37-year-old extended his contract this year, but the feeling is that his fourth year at Barcelona will be his last - Lewandowski is also one of Barcelona’stop earners. The Polish striker continues to declare himself fit and healthy whenever given the chance, so there is a chance he wants to remain at Barcelona, or even elsewhere in Europe. There have been a number of stories about the wages he could earn in Saudi Arabia too.

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Perhaps the most interesting case is Andreas Christensen though. The Danish defender was adamant he was going nowhere, and Barcelona were forced to hang onto him - not that this is an imposition. All three managers Christensen has had have been happy with him. He will be 30 next year, and has an injury record, yet there is no doubt that at his best, he can cut it at the top level. On a free, relatively risk-free, and yet Christensen has announced his desire to stay at Barcelona.

Atletico Madrid

Atletico Madrid started last season with nine players out of contract this past summer or in 2026, but have done plenty of work. Be it through departures in the transfer market, contracts simply ending or renewals, new power figure Carlos Bucero, who edged out Arsenal Sporting Director Andrea Berta, has reduced that number to just one in reality.

That would be Javi Galan, who has had an up and down spell at the Metropolitano. Last season was his first as a starter, and this season he is battling for a spot with David Hancko and new signing Matteo Ruggeri. Yet left-back was considered a priority in the transfer market, and Galan is not considered the answer for Diego Simeone. The 30-year-old has his limitations, but will be a solid addition for a midtable or Europa League side in any of Europe’s top leagues.

False friends

There are a number of players who are technically out of contract, but seem unlikely to be available. You might be thinking that Trent Alexander-Arnold only has to hold out for one season to make the right-back spot his own, but Real Madrid have already agreed an extension through to 2027 with Dani Carvajal.

Barcelona still need to negotiate and seal contract negotiations with Frenkie de Jong and Eric Garcia, who could be quality signings if they are available. It is very much expected that both will sign new deals though, having both commented publicly that they want to do so. Equally, talented youngster Marc Bernal, who Chelsea are keen on, has an agreement in place until 2029, even if it hasn’t been registered.

Atletico captain Koke Resurreccion reminded of his value, even at 33, and with some holes in his game, at Anfield on Wednesday night, allowing Atletico to organise themselves in midfield. Koke is technically out of contract next summer, but has a rolling deal with Atletico, meaning he the two can agree to extend the deal as they please. Of course, they might not do so, but Atletico certainly won’t push a club legend out, and Koke would probably have to decide to leave.

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Fresh stories have surfaced this week surrounding Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate, who is out of contract next summer, and can sign with any club, including Real Madrid, in just four months’ time. Los Blancos have been heavily linked with the French centre-back, and increasingly, it feels like deja vu from this time last year, as the gaze from the Santiago Bernabeu cast its eye over Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Konate was first mentioned as a Real Madrid target back in January, at the height speculation over the future of Alexander-Arnold. By March, not only was Konate being spoken about as a realistic option for Los Blancos alongside Dean Huijsen, but the first warning signs were there when a contract offer was rejected by Konate.

Fast forwarding, this week Konate reportedly received a fourth proposal from Liverpool, just days after the defender himself had joked about Kylian Mbappe trying to recruit him on international duty. Reds familiar with last year’s tale may remember talk of Jude Bellingham providing detailed accounts of what life in the Spanish capital was like for the man that Konate used to cover for on the right side. It’s safe to say that the game is not only on, but approaching it’s most crucial phase.

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Do Liverpool have any chance of retaining Konate?

There are a couple of flashpoints that could swing things back in Liverpool’s favour. That said, the most likely situation is that they do not present any issues, starting with William Saliba. The Arsenal defender is one of the few defenders that Real Madrid would prefer to sign ahead of Konate; a couple of years younger, and regarded as at the very top of the game after snuffing out Kylian Mbappe in their Champions League quarter-final earlier this month. He seems poised to sign a new deal, but were that to collapse, it could give Los Blancos a decision to make if he made to the last year of his contract next summer.

Perhaps Liverpool’s greatest hope of keeping Konate comes down to numbers. Real Madrid are yet to make a formal proposal to the France international, and there is a chance that if the gap is big enough, he might decide to remain in the Premier League. The assumption is that he would earn more money at Anfield anyway, and Real Madrid will likely offer him a salary between €8m and €12m per year, but everyone has a tipping point.

Los Blancos can offer him a sunnier climate, a dressing room full of compatriots and a strong guarantee of consistent trophy challenges, as well as a change of scenery after five years at Anfield. Saudi Arabian football is evidence that there is an offer which outweighs that, but naturally every person has different priorities, and Liverpool won’t be offering similar fortunes.

Finally, there is a slim chance that Real Madrid don’t need him. Los Blancos will consider Konate simply good business on a free. If, and it is a significant if, Antonio Rudiger, Eder Militao Raul Asencio and even youngster Joan Martinez can convince Real Madrid that Konate would be an unnecessary signing, then they might pull back. As things stand, Konate slots in right next to Dean Huijsen as first-choice though.

What is the latest news from Real Madrid?

Real Madrid are enormously confident of getting a deal for Konate over the line, and on Monday night, the most reliable journalist related to the Santiago Bernabeu ran a story on Konate with the headline ‘History repeats itself’. The fact is that Real Madrid have signed four established stars at the end of their contracts in the last four years (David Alaba, Rudiger, Mbappe and Alexander-Arnold), and in each case, have got their man.

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The only player they have pursued without success in this scenario was Alphonso Davies last year. In the Spanish capital, the feeling is that Bayern Munich paid over the odds to hold onto Davies, to the extent where their offer was significantly higher than the one on the table from Florentino Perez. In said article, they say there are no signs of Konate going a similar way thus far.

Verdict: Konate goes to Real Madrid - 80%

Liverpool have plenty to offer any player, but having been there for half a decade, Real Madrid now have more. For the reasons outlined above, what their offer may lack in the bank, might be more lucrative on and off the pitch for Konate. Unless he is especially rooted on Merseyside, earning much better money and Arne Slot convinces him that he has more chance of winning Champions Leagues, then the logical conclusion is that he goes to the Bernabeu. Alexander-Arnold’s case is instructive in that regard, as he still ended up at Real Madrid. Davies was a one in five case so far, and you would have to expect them to get the deal over the line.

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For much of the summer, Conor Gallagher’s name appeared in transfer stories, all predicting that the Atletico Madrid midfielder was heading back to the Premier League. From the Spanish capital, the consistent line was that Gallagher was not for sale - unless someone was willing to put down the same money that they paid for him. It’s not an entirely convincing ‘hands off’ as far as they go.

Back in July, Caught Offside reported that Newcastle United had enquired about Gallagher, with Los Rojiblancos open to a €45-50m sale. Meanwhile Football España also noted that Gallagher had been offered to a number of Premier League clubs, including Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur.

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Yet no offer arrived until the final hours of the transfer window, at which point United were told that they would not be sanctioning a move for the England international. The question is, what was the strategy and how did it come to this just a year on from a move that seemed to suit everyone down to the ground?

Gallagher: Well-liked but without a home

The 25-year-old arrived with plenty of fanfare, and it took little time for ‘El Pitbull’ to endear himself to the rabid Atletico support. On his debut, Gallagher hunted down an opposition player deep in their own half, cornering them, and eventually sliding in to put the ball out for a goal kick, as Atletico defended a lead late on. This was met with a noise that matched any of the goals in the game.

Gallagher had plenty to offer to Diego Simeone, and many of the qualities that he covets. Strong, capable of playing box-to-box and fond of goals from midfield, on the surface, Gallagher would fit Simeone’s aggressive and hard-working ethos like a glove.

Yet it is a sign of the times and the difficulty of playing in midfield in La Liga that Gallagher found himself more of a problem than a solution. In central midfield, as part of the two in Simeone’s preferred 4-4-2 last season, Gallagher was being gobbled up on the ball, struggling to find his way out of pressure, and accelerating the game too much. Rodrigo de Paul, Koke Resurreccion and Pablo Barrios were all considered more adept.

It meant that the only position Gallagher had hope of was on the left of midfield, where he split time with Samuel Lino. The Brazilian offered pace, took on his defender, and was a solution in the final third. Gallagher was the ‘defensive option’ - he would crash the box, but was conscious of his defensive duties.

Were Atletico Madrid looking to sell him?

Arriving from Chelsea for €42m, Gallagher was not strictly linked to Joao Felix, but it was very much understood that the Englishman would not have arrived were the Portuguese not going the other way. Given how desperate Atletico were to move on from Felix, this is still considered a more than acceptable exchange for Atleti fans, but Gallagher’s fee is above what they might have paid in other circumstances.

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That high fee, of which Atletico still have to pay €32m including this season, plus his relatively sizable wages, make him an expensive ‘alternative’ for Simeone. Their business this summer very much suggests that El Cholo has no plans to hand him a starting role either. The spending on holding midfielder Johnny Cardoso and playmakers Thiago Almada and Alex Baena more or less block Gallagher’s progress in the two positions he played most last season, even if Rodrigo de Paul did depart.

All of the above means that had a €40m offer for Gallagher arrived, it was hard to see them turning it down. United’s enquiry was reportedly about a loan move, and while it would save them something in salary, it does little for them in the long-run. By that point the signing of Nicolas Gonzalez from Juventus had been completed, and with no plans for a further recruit, and no necessity to move Gallagher on, the upside for Atletico was probably rather slim by the time United’s offer arrived.

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Sometimes football outdoes itself. Trent Alexander-Arnold was first linked to Real Madrid in March of 2024, and after a lengthy, arduous if you were covering it, and heated if you asked fans on Merseyside, he signed for Los Blancos. It has taken just 89 days since he did so for a move to be suggested. So here is the genesis behind the story.

Who is being linked with Alexander-Arnold?

Writing exclusively on Caught Offside, Inkykaila explained that Manchester City were keeping a close eye on Alexander-Arnold at the Santiago Bernabéu. Having admired him on previous occasions, and approached him twice, City still hold some affection for the former Liverpool man. Indykaila, the summer’s revelatory transfer account, goes on to claim that if Real Madrid were so disposed, they could attract a €75m offer for the right-back they signed for just €10m in May.

Where does the story come from?

In essence, from Xabi Alonso dropping him on Sunday. There is no denying that Alexander-Arnold has had a discreet start to life in the Spanish capital. He provided two excellent assists during the Club World Cup, evidence of the devilish delivery that has made him most famous, but that was blended in with some defensive frailties that are just as familiar to Premier League viewers. After winning over the fans early on with his Spanish, he has cut something of a solemn figure on the pitch since, compared with, for example, his much more expressive friend Jude Bellingham on his arrival.

It will be no surprise to close observers of Real Madrid that this has already earned him some criticism in the local press, despite playing just seven games. This on its own is no concern for Real Madrid, but for Alexander-Arnold, it might be more of a worry. Primarily due to one man - Dani Carvajal. The 33-year-old was expected to be eased back into the side, only getting back up to full speed in late September or October, but Alonso started him against Real Oviedo last Sunday, and the comparison to Alexander-Arnold’s bland showing against Osasuna the previous week was not flattering for the England international.

Perhaps it doesn’t help that Carvajal is everything that Alexander-Arnold isn’t in terms of a defender. Now captain, Carvajal is incorrigible, relentless, aggressive and one-on-one is amongst the most solid at his position in the world. Given his standing, his character, and what he provides for a Real Madrid side already blessed with no shortage of the technical ability Alexander-Arnold has in spades, many see it as a natural choice to restore Carvajal to the line-up if he is the same player that has come back from his cruciate ligament injury.

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Could Real Madrid consider an exit for Alexander-Arnold?

The short answer, at this stage, is almost certainly not. It took a matter of hours for local media to respond with articles proclaiming complete faith in their new signing, and what sort of an institution would Real Madrid be if they had doubts in the player they spent more than a year pursuing already?

It is true that Real Madrid could turn a swift and sizable profit on the 26-year-old, but the same player that is the root cause of the story, is the same reason Real Madrid won’t countenance selling Alexander-Arnold. Carvajal is now into his thirties, and as a general rule, Real Madrid only extend the contract of their veterans by one-year, anticipating that when the drop-off comes, it could be sudden.

Neither does Carvajal boast the same fitness record as Luka Modric. He has a long history of injuries, and although that has improved over the last few years, his cruciate injury left Real Madrid vulnerable last season, hence the signing of Alexander-Arnold.

Los Blancos feel they need a successor for Carvajal sooner rather than later, and Alexander-Arnold is as good an option as they will find on the transfer market. Even if they could turn that profit, how much of it would Real Madrid have to invest in Carvajal’s eventual successor, and would they be any better? While City may be interested, and Alexander-Arnold may have to ‘suck on the bench’, as Carlo Ancelotti so eloquently put it last season, for longer than he’d like, he is the long-term plan for Real Madrid at right-back.

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After a flurry of links to Brighton’s Carlos Baleba, the story has gone somewhat quiet with Manchester United still on the hunt for a midfielder. Sporting CP star Morten Hjulmand has also been linked with a switch to Old Trafford, but Sevilla midfielder Lucien Agoume has also been cited as a name on Amorim’s shortlist.

The French midfielder was first linked to United by Caught Offside back in December, with Arsenal also looking at the French under-21 international. Only now have those links resurfaced, as the transfer market arrives into its closing stages. A relative unknown on the international stage, what do we know about Agoume?

Available for the right price

Sevilla are desperate for sales this summer, and having increased their share in Agoume to 90%, paying Inter an extra €4m on top of the €8m they had already put down, there’s little doubt that was looking ahead to a sale. The 23-year-old has €40m release clause, and the latest is that United are looking at a €25-30m bid.

That would be relatively cheap for a holding midfielder of his age, and new Sporting Director Antonio Cordon has been negotiating hard this summer. Right-back Juanlu Sanchez, also linked to United at one time, has been the subject of talks between Sevilla and Napoli for the last two months, with Cordon refusing to drop his asking price. Sevilla will be keen to get a deal done before the end of the window if they can, as they are in salary limit purgatory currently, and if United get close to that release clause, it seems likely a deal could be done.

Standout statistics for Agoume

Agoume has gained increasing traction amongst the data analysis community for some strong underlying numbers, and good performance across a variety of statistics. Examining some of those at FBRef, Agoume ranked second in successful take-on percentage (73.3%), and 8th overall in the top five leagues - which speaks to the fact that he’s difficult to knock off the ball.

Over the past year under a positional comparison, he comes out in the top 4% per game in interceptions (1.83), tackles in the middle third (1.62), as well as combined tackles and interceptions. He’s also in the top 11% for challenges won.

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What about the eye test for Agoume?

This is a little harder to analyse. Sevilla have been chaotic for some time, and lacking consistency, but Agoume did at least provide a modicum of it last year. He played 37 times (one goal and three assists) in front of the defence, as Sevilla finished 17th last season.

Los Nervionenses rarely controlled games, and neither did they look sturdy at the back. Take into account that Agoume has been at Sevilla for 18 months and had five managers too, which has involved a flip-flopping of styles between each. On Sunday, under new coach Matias Almeyda, Sevilla fell to a 3-2 defeat against Athletic Club, but in the second half you could see the best of Agoume in their two-goal comeback - not just because he scored a lovely goal.

Snapping in to nick the ball from opposing midfielders, recycling possession quickly, Agoume kept Sevilla on the front foot and the tempo high. He’s not slow, although he can look less than agile, at times clumsy, Agoume covers ground well. One of his real advantages over opposition midfielders is not only that he is strong, but he is built stocky, with a low centre of gravity, so muscling players off the ball looks easy.

On it, Agoume has the ability to pick some nice passes, but he’s not Sergio Busquets in that regard either. So far managers haven’t looked to play out through Agoume specifically when pressed high, but as noted above, he doesn’t make a habit of losing it.

The feeling you get with Agoume is that he could be a really useful cog in a functioning machine. He has all the raw attributes to become a strong holding midfielder, and particularly in the Premier League, but perhaps he may be a little raw for United currently. At Sevilla he’s put in some solid performances, but neither will you find fans raving about Agoume just yet.

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It might be the club that everyone wants to join, but it’s not the easiest ride either. Life at Real Madrid for Rodrygo Goes has been a story of ups and downs, yet the defining feeling is that the Brazilian remains firmly in the supporting cast, and never quite the main character that his talent would suggest he can be.

Arriving twelve months apart from …

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The final stretch of the summer is just around the bend, and as the sun beats down on the Iberian peninsula, the cool breeze of a fresh season lingers in the air. It’s been hot and still in both Barcelona and Madrid for several weeks, but that does not mean to say that the two giants residing in their cities have all of their ducks in a row.

For Barcelona, that means registration trouble. With ten days to go before their La Liga opener, new signings Joan Garcia, Marcus Rashford and Roony Bardghji, as well as those handed new contracts such as Gerard Martin and Wojciech Szczesny, are not able to play. That in essence is why a selection of Europe’s finest players without guaranteed starting spots, Marc Casado, Ronald Araujo, Andreas Christensen and Fermin Lopez continue to be presented by the local press as iced cupcakes in the bakery window.

Where could Fermin Lopez go?

Dealing more specifically with Lopez, Caught Offside have reported that Manchester United and Chelsea remain interested in a move for him. It is not exactly surprising that the Premier League is the most likely destination for a player blessed with large reserves of technique and tenacity, but also at €60m, Lopez is not going to break any banks in London.

Saudi Arabia have also shown some interest in Lopez too, but it would be no surprise if a few more top clubs emerged as contenders were Fermin to be on the move. The price tag that keeps getting mentioned is €60m (£52.3m) - if Fermin were a de facto starter, and were Barcelona not so short on salary limit space, a higher fee wouldn’t really be surprising.

Could Fermin leave and why are there so many stories about him leaving Barcelona?

The usual equation when you’re dealing with a transfer story is that you have three parties involved from the selling side: the club, the player and the management. With Barcelona, being unique in their model, there are a variety of powerful voices in the inner offices, and each has tendrils that connect to the local media.

The first thing to say is that an exit requires a dramatic U-turn from Lopez before the door is unlocked, let alone opened. Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has been melted by Fermin’s heart and work-rate, and is delighted to keep him. The reason the stories continue to appear are a combination of Barcelona’s finances, and the very echoey room in which the Barcelona board do their talking.

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As detailed by the Caught Offside report, the board are split, and there are those who believe cashing in on Lopez, with the position well covered by Dani Olmo and Gavi, would be the smart move. Were it not for their registration issues, they probably wouldn’t be considering an exit though.

Why is there so much interest in Fermin Lopez - and why is his price tag so high?

Every football player is constantly a victim and a victor of timing. Fermin is fortunate he was in preseason at the right time, with Xavi Hernandez in charge, and Barcelona short of resources. He is also slightly unlucky that he plays in the position both at club and country which is arguably deeper than any other in Europe. Had the Blaugrana had more funds last summer, they probably would have signed Nico Williams instead of Dani Olmo, and Fermin would have had a much clearer route to a starting spot.

In his specific case, Fermin is also victim of his own paradox. Growing up, Barcelona, of all clubs, harboured concerns about his size (is there a more ridiculous trope in the game?). At 19, he was sent on loan to Linares in Spain’s third tier. Far removed from the midfields caressing the ball around the pitch with technical perfection, the image Spain at times projects, that division is a bumpy route through foul play and punctuated by players willing to give hotshot talents some perspective.

Lopez returned after 12 goals and four assists in 37 games, but more than that, with a sinewy toughness that has defined his game since. Almost rabid in pursuit of the ball, Fermin is far rougher around the edges than your classic playmaker, and stands out for his quality off the ball as much as on it. On it, he has howitzer strike, and desire to get into the box. Fermin is every bit as scrappy as Gavi, and scurries around with an extra yard of pace when he goes hunting for the ball.

Those qualities mean that Lopez probably doesn’t receive some of the fawning afforded to his much more majestic peers, but that coarse edge makes him a rarer skillset in his position. His relentless nature and nose for goal make him more unpredictable than more academic talents.

Money-wise, the sums definitely add up. Most of the world’s best forwards these days intend to receive the ball to feet, and ideally with time to look up. Fermin thinks about the ball being with a teammate or in the back of the net within the next two or three touches, a contrast that complements most top teams, and certainly Barcelona.

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Real Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin has been on and off linked with a move to the Premier League for much of the past year - a trend you can more or less backdate to Carlo Ancelotti’s decision to leave him on the bench for Real Madrid’s most recent Champions League final. Manchester United and Newcastle United are both in the market for a shot-stopper, …

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