Real Madrid News

Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga has joined Real Madrid on a season-long loan deal.

The 28-year-old Spain international, who joined the Blues in a £71.6m switch from Athletic Bilbao in August 2018, is contracted at the Bernabeu until June next year.

Real Madrid were looking for a new goalkeeper after Thibaut Courtois suffered an ACL injury in training on Thursday which is expected to keep him out for most of the season.

A statement on Real’s official website said: “Real Madrid CF and Chelsea FC have agreed on the loan of the player Kepa Arrizabalaga, who is linked to the club this season, until June 30, 2024.

“In his five seasons at Chelsea, he has won one Champions League, one Club World Cup, one European Super Cup and one Europa League.

“This year, he has received the award for the best save in the Premier League for the 2022/2023 season.

“Kepa is an international with the Spanish team, with which he has been proclaimed champion of the 2023 Nations League. With Spain, he also won the U19 European Championship in 2012.”

Kepa will be formally presented as a Real Madrid player on Tuesday afternoon.

His return to Spain follows the arrival of 25-year-old compatriot Robert Sanchez at Stamford Bridge.

Sanchez made a £25m switch from Brighton earlier this month and started Sunday’s 1-1 home draw with Liverpool as youngster Lucas Bergstrom provided the back-up on the bench.

Kepa has 163 Chelsea appearances under his belt and was handed the captaincy last season.

However, he has become surplus to requirements under new boss Mauricio Pochettino and will now work for a season under former Chelsea head coach Carlo Ancelotti.

“The club wish him well for the season ahead in Madrid, where he will work with former Chelsea head coach Carlo Ancelotti,” Chelsea said in a statement.

Real Madrid play their second La Liga game on Saturday, against Almeria, where Kepa could make his debut.

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Who will be on the move this summer when the transfer window opens on June 14 and closes at 11pm on September 1 in England and midnight in Scotland?

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Real Madrid are exploring goalkeeping options in light of Thibaut Courtois’ ACL injury and contact has been made with David De Gea’s representatives.

De Gea is available as a free agent following his exit from Manchester United this summer.

Real are also making checks on Kepa Arrizabalaga’s situation. The Chelsea stopper is Bayern Munich’s top target in between the sticks with a loan-to-buy agreement being pursued.

Belgium international Courtois suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury to his left knee in training and will undergo surgery in the coming days.

The 31-year-old has made over 200 appearances for the club since joining from Chelsea in August 2018 and has been a near ever-present in the Spanish capital, but De Gea could be an option to replace him for the foreseeable future.

De Gea left Old Trafford in July after 12 seasons at United having made 545 appearances – the most by any goalkeeper in the club’s history.

The Spaniard also broke Peter Schmeichel’s United record for clean sheets last season and departed with a total of 190 shut-outs in all competitions.

The 32-year-old won five major trophies during his time in Manchester, including the Premier League in 2013 and the Europa League in 2017.

Ten Hag: De Gea one of United’s best

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag retained De Gea as his No 1 after arriving from Ajax last summer, with the goalkeeper earning the Golden Glove award for most clean sheets in the Premier League last season.

Speaking at the time of De Gea’s exit, Ten Hag said: “It takes great quality and character to reach the level of even playing one game for Manchester United.

“To do it 545 times over 12 years is a special achievement, particularly in the goalkeeping position where every game puts you in the spotlight.

“To have won Player of the Year awards from both the fans and his team-mates, each on four occasions, shows the level of his performance and he will always be remembered as one of the very best goalkeepers in the history of the club.

“I am personally grateful for the 25 clean sheets he helped provide last season and his overall contribution on the pitch during my first year at the club.

“All the players and staff send him our very best wishes for the next phase of his outstanding career.”

Ten Hag has since brought in Andre Onana from Inter Milan to replace De Gea.

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When Esteban Granero’s playing career was winding down and he was pondering what to do next, he began to explore the use of data in football. There was so much of it available. But how, he wondered, could it be used more effectively? Olocip was born.

The company, of which Granero, a former Real Madrid midfielder, is founder and CEO, specialises in the development and application of artificial intelligence in football and has been active since 2016, long before the technology exploded into the public consciousness.

“We are seven years old already, so we were doing this when almost nobody was talking about artificial intelligence in sport,” Granero tells Sky Sports, as part of our Future of Football series. “This is an advantage we have now that artificial intelligence is on the lips of everybody.”

It is perhaps fitting that Olocip saw all this coming given their core aim is to “move analysis from the past to the future”, as Granero puts it, allowing clubs, coaches and players to make better-informed decisions around tactics, transfers and much more.

Olocip’s Madrid-based team of scientists have spent years developing their offering, processing huge quantities of data and using complex algorithms to provide their clients with analysis which is predictive and prescriptive rather than just descriptive.

“In terms of prediction of performance, we have been selling our platform for years already,” says Granero. “So, now that the AI wave is coming to us in sport, we are ready to solve things, and we already have a name and a reputation in the industry.”

The recent boom in artificial intelligence has left many concerned over its potential risks to society. Some experts have called for the development of the technology to be paused. But others view it as a cause for excitement and Granero is one of them.

“The impact of AI is only comparable to the impact of electricity 100-and-something years ago,” he says. “It’s not only the application of AI, it’s how it is transforming all the technology around.

“So, the impact is global, and much broader than any other technology. Of course, there are some dangers we have to be careful with. But, in terms of sport, I believe it’s going to be a key technology.

“The reason is because decision-making in sports is quite important. It involves a lot of money and a lot of passion. So, being efficient in decision-making and reducing uncertainty – for example making a signing or not – is something that of course is interesting.”

Olocip’s technology strives to aid decision-making during games as well as in the transfer market.

“I think AI, and Olocip in particular, has to focus on a couple of things that differentiate it from traditional big data and the first is objectivity. AI can bring objectivity to performance analysis.

“So, now, we are not just counting how many things a player is doing in a game. We are measuring how much value every action that every player makes is having on the team.

“For example, a clearance, an interception, a pass. Everything a player does has an impact on the probability of the team scoring or conceding. So, we are able to measure how much value they add.

“This is something that is a big jump for analysis, and the second thing that differentiates AI from traditional big data is moving this analysis forward. We have seen what a player has done in the past, but we want to know what they will do in the future.

“For example, if a club are signing a player, the context will change and therefore the performance will change. We want to anticipate that change. The only technology that can do that is AI.”

As well as helping clubs decide between potential transfer targets, Olocip’s analysis can be used to inform decisions around contract renewals for the players they already have.

“It allows clubs to see how their players will evolve,” says Granero. “The context from one year to another changes. It’s not only about the age of the player, but also the team-mates, the coach, the position the player plays.

“For example, every year, people think Luka Modric is going to perform worse than the year before, but he performs better. So, it is about many other factors, not just age. Of course, clubs are happy to reduce the uncertainty around players in that sense too.”

In addition to clubs at various levels across Europe, Olocip work with individual players and the agencies who represent them.

“If you analyse yourself using AI, you can identify what you are doing well and badly from an objective point of view,” explains Granero. “Objectivity will bring a better analysis of yourself.

“This is also very interesting in terms of future performance because when we talk about players, we also talk about the agencies who represent them. We are working with agencies a lot on predicting performance of players in different contexts.

“This is very important to make a good choice in the transfer window, and to explain to your club, or the club that wants you, that you deserve a contract, or an extension, or that they shouldn’t reduce your salary because you are going to perform even better.

“These kinds of things are very important. When a player is going to move to a team, he has uncertainty, for sure. But this uncertainty can be reduced. If you have three offers, we can tell you which one of these offers will be the best in terms of performance.

“This is not just guessing. We are applying AI that is scientifically validated and gives trends which are real. Of course, it is not a crystal ball, but it’s much closer to the future than believing past performance will be the same in a different context.

“If you only have one or two decisions to make, then, of course, you can still make mistakes. But if you have hundreds, this reduction of uncertainty can be very important.”

As a former player with QPR, Real Socieded and Espanyol as well as Real Madrid, Granero is uniquely positioned to comment on how technology is transforming the game on the pitch as well as off it.

“It is more difficult to be a footballer now than it was 20 years ago, when I started, so I’m lucky to have finished my career now,” he smiles. “You have more weapons, more knowledge of what you need to be at your top level, but the level is higher.”

His focus now is to ensure that, through Olocip, both players and clubs are equipped for what the future holds.

“Football is changing, becoming more physical, and the change is coming faster,” Granero says. “Technology has to work together with people in order to anticipate the changes, to adapt, and to help the clubs and the industry facilitate these future trends.

“People and technology working together is much more efficient than separately. Technology is not going to fire anybody from their jobs, it is just something which can help people do a better job.

“In the end, that is what we are trying to do.”

Man-of-the-match Jude Bellingham’s first goal in a Real Madrid shirt and a spectacular Joselu scissor kick saw Manchester United fall to a 2-0 defeat in Houston.

Just 24 hours on from the Red Devils youngsters’ loss to Wrexham in San Diego, Texas played host to Erik ten Hag’s first team against the Spanish giants.

Bellingham marked his second Madrid appearance with a lovely finish against long-term admirers United, who saw Joselu acrobatically sweep home a late second.

Carlo Ancelotti’s side took control of the friendly in the sixth minute when Bellingham was put through by Antonio Rudiger to score his first goal since his recent £115m switch.

There were questions over whether the England international stayed offside, but there was no getting away from the quality of the touch and 18-yard clipped finish.

Madrid edged the play under the NRG Stadium roof, where goalkeeper Andre Onana looked assured on his bow but would be beaten again by former Stoke and Newcastle striker Joselu’s brilliant finish.

How Man Utd were beaten in Houston

United complete their US tour against Borussia Dortmund in Las Vegas on Sunday, with Kobbie Mainoo looking unlikely to feature.

The 18-year-old got the nod to start on Wednesday but an early collision saw him limp off, with the midfielder making his way down the touchline as Madrid struck the opener.

Rudiger collected the ball and spotted Bellingham’s run through the middle, meeting his pass with a smart touch before lifting it over Onana. He avoided a flag for offside despite it looking like a tight call.

Alejandro Garnacho cut in and fired over as United looked for a quick leveller and Mason Mount could not get a clean strike away when he had an attempt.

Madrid looked the most dangerous side, wasting an opportunity from a cutback before Vinicius Jr forced Onana into a save from a tight angle.

Marcus Rashford saw a clipped attempt across the face of goal come to nothing and tempers frayed as half-time approached.

Lisandro Martinez’s challenge on Bukayo Saka in New Jersey on Saturday angered Arsenal, just as the defender’s foul on Bellingham did just before the break.

The England midfielder got up and pushed the Argentina international, with players from both sides involved before a booking was dished out.

Bellingham was withdrawn as part of five Madrid half-time alterations, with Fernandes seeing a low ball cut out and Garnacho forced Andriy Lunin to push over a snapshot.

Ten Hag made a tranche of alterations midway through the second half and substitute Scott McTominay followed a marauding run from the halfway line with a shot at Lunin.

Those changes swayed the momentum Madrid’s way, with Onana shifting his feet well to deny Joselu before the summer signing went close again.

Diogo Dalot cleared off the line before Antony ripped a left-footed shot over and Bruno Fernandes tried his luck at the end.

There would be one final goal but it came at the wrong end from a United perspective. Lucas Vazquez crossed from the right and Joselu brilliantly struck past statuesque Onana in the 89th minute.

Ten Hag: Defeat shows why Man Utd need a striker

Erik ten Hag said Manchester United’s inability to take their chances against Real Madrid “absolutely” emphasised their need for a new striker.

United had chances of their own but failed to score with any of their 14 attempts – an all too familiar tale given their problems taking opportunities last season.

Asked if the attacking display in Texas emphasised why they are looking to sign a new striker, Ten Hag said: “Absolutely.

“There were two things – the pressing can be better from the start, and scoring goals.

“I think we need more players who are capable to be in the one-on-ones and we had the situations of one-on-ones.

“It was (Marcus) Rashford, it was, I thought, Scott McTominay in one-on-one situations. Garnacho, a one-on-one situation. From the situations, you have to score.”

United are pushing to sign Atalanta striker Rasmus Hojlund, with talks over a deal underway and other potential attacking irons in the fire as they look to bring in a frontman.

The Old Trafford side have already brought in Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount and Inter Milan goalkeeper Andre Onana this summer, with the latter making his bow in Houston.

“I think good, solid,” Ten Hag said of Onana’s display. “Two very good saves.

“He was there in the moment the team needed him, so he did his job. I think he integrated well into our team.

“This is the first game and detail, we have a lot of work to do between him and the defending part (of the team).

“You could see with the second goal where we are not close at the back post. It can’t be that and goals will come there.

“There are things that are rules we have to follow, and they’ll come quick, that we integrate that into our way of play.”

The main negative on the night was the early injury to Kobbie Mainoo.

The 18-year-old impressed from the start against Arsenal on Saturday and was entrusted from kick-off in Houston, only to end the night on crutches with his left foot in a protective boot.

“You never can tell straight after a game, so we have to wait for what it is,” Ten Hag said. “Hopefully he’s not too bad, then chances will come.

“I wanted to see on which levels he could play.

“Against Arsenal, we were pleased with his performance, so I wanted to see if he can repeat that some days after.

“From thereon, we set conclusions and now I just have to wait for the diagnosis. Then from thereon, we will set conclusions.”

‘I’m enjoying it’ – Bellingham on start to life in Madrid

Jude Bellingham has loved his first few weeks as a Real Madrid player and is confident of helping the Spanish giants fulfil their lofty expectations.

The England star was taken off at half-time in Houston but was deemed to have done enough to earn the man-of-the-match award after scoring to set his new side on the way to a 2-0 win.

“I look like I am enjoying it, I like to think,” Bellingham said after the game. “So far, so good.

“I am enjoying playing with this team, learning from so many great players. I am definitely not getting carried away just yet.

“There are big challenges to come this season.

“There is a lot to aim for and rightly so. It is the biggest club with the best players. The expectations are high as they should be. It is about us going out there and matching that.”

Bellingham says he is slowly getting better at Spanish but admits he is finding the language tough – certainly harder than adapting to his new surroundings.

The England international loves Real’s standards and “the way everyone applies themselves in training, the mentality day in, day out” – an elite level he is confident of matching.

“I was confident coming here because I knew how good the players were,” Bellingham said. “I know the qualities I can bring and I feel like I have slotted in.

“The role I am playing is enjoyable. I had a decent game against AC Milan and a decent one today. I just want to keep up the rhythm going into the season.”

Man Utd’s pre-season fixtures and results

• July 12: Man Utd 2-0 Leeds
• July 19: Man Utd 1-0 Lyon
• July 22: Man Utd 2-0 Arsenal
• July 26: Man Utd 1-3 Wrexham
• July 27: Real Madrid 2-0 Man Utd
• July 31: Man Utd vs Dortmund, kick-off 2am (Allegiant Stadium, USA)
• August 5: Man Utd vs Lens, kick-off 12.45pm (Old Trafford)
• August 6: Man Utd vs Athletic Bilbao, kick-off 4pm (Aviva Stadium)

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Kylian Mbappe is prepared to sit out an entire season and leave Paris St-Germain on a free next summer after the club put him up for sale on Friday.

Mbappe was not included in the squad for PSG’s pre-season tour to Japan and South Korea, which departs on Saturday, with the club making it clear they only want players on the tour who are committed, want to be at the club and that no player is more important than the club.

However, Mbappe’s immediate reaction to that decision is that he is ready to sit on the bench and not play at PSG until his contract runs out next summer.

Being France captain and with the Euros coming up next summer doesn’t alter his thinking.

He is willing to dig his heels in and sacrifice a season and there is nothing PSG can do about it. He is ready to call their bluff and see who blinks first.

Despite PSG’s tough stance, ultimately they will have to pay him his wages and bonus until he leaves for nothing next summer.

PSG are convinced Mbappe has already agreed to join Real Madrid on a free transfer next summer, a move that is viewed as a huge betrayal after he said he would never leave for free.

The club sought clarity from Mbappe when training resumed this month but nothing has been communicated by the player.

PSG, therefore, assume Mbappe wants to leave for free and plans for life without him must begin, starting with their pre-season tour of the Far East.

Mbappe is now for sale and the club will engage with suitors, of which there are many who have been waiting for developments.

Al Hilal are one of the clubs who want to sign Mbappe this summer. Representatives of the Saudi club have been in contact with PSG. They tried to sign Lionel Messi earlier this summer and one source has told us that they also held talks with an intermediary about the possibility of signing Tottenham’s Harry Kane.

PSG’s six summer signings will be travelling to Japan and South Korea, together with the new coach Luis Enrique and all the positively-motivated squad.

Meanwhile, Mbappe has been told to report for training as normal at the club’s new Paris training ground while the first-team squad are on tour.

Mbappe will train with other squad members who are not in the club’s plans for next season. He will be training in a group of players which includes Georginio Wijnaldum and Julian Draxler.

France’s players’ union threatens PSG with legal action

Meanwhile, France’s players’ union has accused Paris Saint-Germain of morally harassing Mbappe and threatened the club with legal action to protect the forward’s rights.

Mbappe trained at PSG’s complex on Saturday, signing autographs for fans at the entrance before being driven in.

A statement from the Union Nationale des Footballeurs Professionels (UNFP) said: “These players – all of them – must enjoy the same working conditions as the rest of the professional workforce.

“The UNFP feels it would be useful to remind managers that putting pressure on an employee – via the deterioration of their working conditions, for example – to force them to leave or accept what the employer wants constitutes moral harassment, which French law firmly condemns.

“So, yes, the UNFP reserves the right to take civil and criminal action against any club that behaves in this way.”

Analysis: This is about a massive £260m pot of money

Sky Sports News’ Kaveh Solhekol:

“PSG feel this is all about money. They have already invested about half a billion pounds in Kylian Mbappe, when you factor in what they paid to get him from Monaco and also the wages and all the bonuses they’ve paid him.

“If he stays at PSG for one more year, he will earn more than £100m in wages and bonuses. Then, next summer, when he moves to Real Madrid on a free transfer, Real Madrid will give him a £160m signing on fee. So as long as he stays where he is, he stands to make £260m and massive wages when he moves to Real Madrid.

“PSG are saying, ‘we’re not going to let that happen. We want to sell you now and get a transfer fee – maybe £100m-£150m – and we’ll also save having to pay you another £100m over the next 12 months.

“It’s about power, egos but really it’s about a massive pot of money.

“PSG feel this is the ultimate betrayal, they feel he’s sabotaging the club. They feel he’s not a man of his word because he’s gone on record in interviews before saying ‘I’ll never leave PSG for nothing’.

“That’s PSG’s attitude now: the gloves are off, it’s time to act tough. They’ve been messed around by superstar players in the past. They’re not going to let it happen again. They want him out ASAP.”

What have Al-Khelaifi and Mbappe said about each other?

A statement from Mbappe’s entourage in early June:

“After having publicly declared in recent weeks that he will be a Parisian next season, Kylian Mbappe did not ask for his departure this summer, but merely confirmed to the club that he was not activating his additional year.

“The management of the club in charge of its extension (signed on May 21 2022) was informed of its decision on July 15 2022 and the sole purpose of the letter was to confirm what had already been orally clarified previously.

“Mbappe and his entourage claim they have not discussed this point with the club again during the year, except 15 days ago to announce the sending of the letter. Nor has any possible new extension been mentioned.

“Finally, Mbappe and his entourage regret that the receipt of this letter has been transmitted to the media and that these exchanges are made public with the sole aim of damaging his image and the smooth running of conversations with the club.”

Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi speaking in early July:

“My position is very clear. I don’t want to repeat it every time: if Kylian wants to stay, we want him to stay. But he needs to sign a new contract.

“We don’t want to lose the best player in the world for free. We can’t do that. This is a French club.

“He said he would never leave for free. If he changes his mind today, it’s not my fault. We don’t want to lose the best player in the world for free, that’s very clear.”

Follow the summer transfer window with Sky Sports

Who will be on the move this summer when the transfer window opens on June 14 and closes at 11pm on September 1 in England and midnight in Scotland?

Keep up to date with all the latest transfer news and rumours in our dedicated Transfer Centre blog on Sky Sports’ digital platforms. You can also catch up with the ins, outs and analysis on Sky Sports News.