Real Madrid has decided to make a surprise signing according to SPORT, citing anonymous sources, which would see a “prodigal son” return to the Bernabeu if the transfer is completed.

Rafa Marin was sold to Napoli in the summer, for a €12 million fee which could reach up to €22 million depending on a series of variables.

As is common practice when offloading the products of its La Fabrica academy however, Madrid demonstrated wise business acumen by inserting buyback clauses into the terms and conditions of its deal with the Italian club.

This is known as the “Via Carvajal” or “Carvajal route” in Spain, in honor of the club legend right back Dani Carvajal currently out injured for what is expected to be the rest of the ongoing 2024/2025 after he ruptured his ACL among other things during a 2-0 La Liga win over Villarreal at the Bernabeu in early October.

The Euro 2024 winner with Spain and Ballon d’Or candidate was shipped out to Bayer Leverkusen on a five-season deal in 2012, yet brought back to his country’s capital after just a single season following an impressive breakout in the Bundesliga.

This is something that could happen sooner with Marin, and perhaps as early as the January transfer window which opens at the turn of 2025.

Carlo Ancelotti’s injury ravaged squad is particularly short on players in defense, with David Alaba yet to return from his own ACL knock and Eder Militao once again falling to the critical injury for the second time in two seasons.

While Raul Asencio has achieved Marin’s dream by being promoted to the first team fold from the Castilla amid Militao’s setback, Toni Rudiger remains the only senior center back Ancelotti can call upon and he is often partnered with defensive midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni as of late.

Snapping up Marin is a case of the sooner the better, because of the interesting way that the transfer was hashed out.

Madrid made sure to include a $27.1 million (€25 million) buy back clause which can be exercised in 2026, but that then rises to $37.9 million (€35 million) in 2027.

Yet if Napoli pays an additional $10.8 million (€10 million) next year, those clauses double to $54.2 million (€50 million) in 2026 and $75.8 million (€70 million) in 2027.

As Marin’s move to Napoli hasn’t gone as planned, though, the thinking is that he can be picked up on the cheap and perhaps for something around the price the Serie A giant originally paid for the 21-year-old considering he is still yet to make his debut for it.

Twenty-year-old Nigerian midfielder David Moses has signed a contract with top club Slavia Praha from another Czech club MFK Karviná.

Slavia Praha announced Moses has signed a contract until December 31, 2029.

“David is an extremely interesting player, proven in the Czech league, many clubs were interested in him, not only from the Czech Republic,” said sports director Jiri Bilek.

“We believe that he will fit perfectly into our playing style. This is a great promise for the future.”.

The player himself was equally excited about the new challenge.

“It’s a big step for me, a big challenge. I’m going to the best team in the Czech Republic,” he said.

“I want to make a name for myself, help the club. I haven’t played in Eden (Slavia home ground) yet, but I’ve heard a lot about the fans. I’m looking forward to playing in front of them.”

Moses joined the Karviná academy in March 2022, played his first ever competitive match for the A-team against Slavia in the round of 16 of the domestic cup, and the team won 2-0 on November 18 with goals from Olayinka and Lingro.

Karviná returned to the top flight at the end of the season after a one-year second-league hiatus, four points ahead of second-placed Vyškov.

The 171-centimeter-tall central midfielder made his league debut for MFK on July 22, 2023 in the first round against Zlín. In the 2023/24 season, he played in 25 matches and helped Karviná survive in the top flight after successfully managing the play-off against Vyškov.

He played 13 matches this season and helped his club reach eleventh place in the table.

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Real Madrid are currently focusing their efforts on two key midfield targets: Florian Wirtz and Franco Mastantuono, claims a report from Daniel Peinado in AS.

The journalist suggests that while other potential options like Joshua Kimmich and Martin Zubimendi have been mentioned, Wirtz remains the primary target, with the club also keeping a close eye on Mastantuono.

The situation with Wirtz has become more complex in recent weeks. After months of speculation about a potential move from Bayer Leverkusen, it now seems that the German is set to remain with the Bundesliga club for the foreseeable future.

Wirtz’s signing is difficult
Recent reports suggest that Wirtz will sign a new contract with Bayer Leverkusen, extending his stay at the club until at least the summer of 2028.

Despite this, Real Madrid are not giving up on their pursuit of the talented midfielder. He is still seen as a top priority, and his situation will likely be closely monitored by the club.

At the same time, Bayern Munich and Manchester City also remain interested in securing his services, making the competition fierce for Wirtz.

What about Mastantuono?

On the other hand, Mastantuono, the River Plate star, is one of the most highly sought-after young talents in football.

Real Madrid are not the only club tracking his progress; rivals Barcelona, as well as top European sides like Liverpool and AC Milan, are all keen on the Argentine midfielder.

While Madrid have been keeping a close watch on Mastantuono, they have yet to make a formal move. This cautious approach suggests that the club may be waiting for the right moment to act, allowing them more time to assess the player’s development.

In conclusion, Real Madrid’s midfield targets for the near future remain Wirtz and Mastantuono. Although Wirtz’s move seems less likely in the short term, Madrid continue to keep him on their radar.

As for Mastantuono, he remains one of the hottest young prospects in world football, and it seems only a matter of time before one of Europe’s giants makes their move for him.