Cliff Notes – Transfer rumors, news: Real Madrid eye Chelsea’s Caicedo
- Real Madrid is reportedly interested in Chelsea midfielder Moisés Caicedo, who has impressed since his £115 million transfer from Brighton in 2023, prompting Chelsea to consider offering him a new contract.
- Chelsea and Juventus are set to compete for Al Hilal midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, who is entering the final six months of his contract and has attracted interest from multiple European clubs.
- Despite Real Madrid’s interest in Caicedo, his current contract with Chelsea runs until 2031, complicating any potential transfer.
Transfer rumors, news: Real Madrid eye Chelsea’s Caicedo
Real Madrid are interested in signing Chelsea midfielder Moisés Caicedo to a new contract, while Chelsea and Juventus are set battle it out to sign Al Hilal midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic on a free transfer. Join us for the latest transfer news and rumors from around the globe.
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Chelsea midfielder Moisés Caicedo has impressed since moving from Brighton for £115 million in 2023. Chris Lee/Chelsea FC via Getty ImagesTRENDING RUMORS
– Chelsea plan to offer midfielder Moisés Caicedo a new contract to ward off interest from Real Madrid, according to TEAMtalk. Los Blancos are reported to be one of the sides keeping tabs on the 23-year-old but, following several impressive performances so far this season, it looks as though the Blues are set to reward him with improved terms to stay put at Stamford Bridge. And Caicedo’s long-term deal in West London isn’t set to expire until 2031 already.
– A race between Chelsea and Juventus could take place for Al Hilal midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, according to Corriere dello Sport. The 30-year-old is set to enter the final six months of his contract in January and, having not yet signed an extension, multiple clubs across Europe (including Galatasaray and Fenerbahce) are tracking him with a view to getting him to sign a pre-contract agreement. The Serbia international has made four appearances in the Saudi Pro League side so far this season.
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– Internazionale have joined the race for Crystal Palace defender Marc Guéhi, reports Tuttosport. Inter are reportedly monitoring the 25-year-old’s situation at Selhurst Park, with belief that he could be a strong replacement for Yann Bisseck, who could leave San Siro next summer. Guéhi remains on the radar of Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich, but Liverpool are leading the race for him after a £35 million move broke down on the final day of the summer transfer window.
– Brighton will dismiss offers to sign midfielder Carlos Baleba in January amid interest from the Premier League. TalkSPORT reports that the Seagulls have no plans to part ways with the 21-year-old during the middle of the season, with hopes of dissuading interested sides by asking for a £120 million fee. Meanwhile, Manchester United are set to prioritize a move for Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton, 21, according to iNews, having placed him as their No. 1 priority ahead of Baleba amid their search for a midfielder. Wharton has also recently been linked with Real Madrid.
– A move for Dinamo Zagreb winger Cardoso Varela is being considered by Barcelona and Chelsea, reports Mundo Deportivo. The Blaugrana are closely monitoring the 16-year-old, with club sporting director Deco having already met with his representatives. While the Blues are also interested in Varela, whether the LaLiga club make a move for him is expected to hinge on if they decide to sign on-loan Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford permanently.
EXPERT TAKE
ESPN’s Madrid correspondent Alex Kirkland looks at the likelihood of Real Madrid landing Moisés Caicedo.
Real Madrid’s summer rebuild — signing three defenders in Trent Alexander-Arnold, Dean Huijsen and Alvaro Carreras, plus a wide forward in Franco Mastantuono — didn’t include a central midfielder, which for many fans and pundits, should have been top of the list.
So far this season, Xabi Alonso has tended to pick Aurelien Tchouameni, Fede Valverde and Arda Guler as his midfield three, with Jude Bellingham coming back into the picture after his recovery from shoulder surgery. The team have mostly played well, but in the two biggest games of Alonso’s tenure so far — the Club World Cup semifinal against PSG, and the derby against Atletico — they’ve come up short, and it’s hard to escape the feeling that, despite the qualities of Tchouameni, Valverde et al, they’re still missing a really dominant, tempo-setting midfielder.
Is Caicedo that player? A contract until 2031 is clearly an issue. Madrid only pay big transfer fees for the most elite prospects, like Bellingham, and that contract duration means a free transfer would be a distant prospect. Here in Madrid, there’s been no reporting yet that Caicedo is a serious target.
OTHER RUMORSplay
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– Clubs in Saudi Arabia are looking to sign Real Madrid center back Antonio Rudiger as he enters the final year of his deal. (Fabrizio Romano)
– Barcelona are keeping tabs on Borussia Dortmund forward Serhou Guirassy and winger Karim Adeyemi. (Bild)
– There is an undisclosed release clause in the contract of Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo, who has been linked with both Manchester United and Liverpool. (TalkSPORT)
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– Bayern Munich winger Adin Licina is being watched by Juventus and Borussia Dortmund. (Tuttosport)
– Clubs in the Premier League could be interested in signing Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski, 37, if he becomes available as a free transfer. (Football Insider)
– Monaco will wait until the end of the season before deciding whether to activate the permanent option clause in the loan deal of Barcelona winger Ansu Fati. (Sport)
– Juventus could need Fenerbahce defender Milan Skriniar to accept a lower salary for a move to become possible, with the 30-year-old earning close to €10m-per-season. (Gazzetta dello Sport)
– Eintracht Frankfurt are open to parting ways with striker Elye Wahi, while they also hold interest in Newcastle forward Will Osula. (Florian Plettenberg)
– Bayern Munich midfielder Leon Goretzka wants to stay at the club, but they could still look to move him on. (Fabrizio Romano)
– Former Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is on the shortlist of Rangers as they continue their search for a head coach. (TEAMtalk)
– Premier League clubs Chelsea and Brighton are looking at Lazio defender Mario Gila. (Football Insider)
– Barcelona are planning to begin talks over a new contract with defender Eric Garcia. (Nicolo Schira)
– AS Roma and Juventus are monitoring the contract situation of Bologna midfielder Remo Freuler. (Nicolo Schira)