Real Madrid’s Latest Transfer Forces Club Into Awkward Ultimatum | OneFootball

Real Madrid are reportedly interested in selling either Ferland Mendy or Fran García now that Álvaro Carreras inked a long-term deal with the club.

In their third move of the summer to upgrade a porous backline, Real Madrid triggered Carreras’s €50 million ($58.42 million) release clause and welcomed the former Benfica fullback to the Spanish capital. The 22-year-old signed a six-year-contract with Los Blancos, cementing his future at the biggest club in the world through June 30, 2031.

Carreras’s arrival puts Real Madrid in a tough predicament. The club now has three first-team left backs, leaving the door open for a possible exit of either Mendy or García.

AS report Mendy has a “better chance at leaving” Real Madrid than García. The club would “consider” selling the 30-year-old for €14 million ($16.2 million), given his age and susceptibility to injuries.

Ferland Mendy (right) suffered four injuries last season alone. / IMAGO/AOP.Press

Parting ways with García, though, is not off the table. Los Blancos reportedly believe they can fetch €25 million ($28.9 million) for the left back after his great performances at this summer’s FIFA Club World Cup.

The decision will ultimately come down to whether Real Madrid want to invest in the future or instead focus on instant gratification. Keeping Mendy gives the club a reliable, proven winner on the left flank. The Frenchman helped Los Blancos win two Champions League and three La Liga titles, along with six other trophies.

The club is also very familar with the pitfalls of Mendy. The fullback will likely spend stretches of time in the infirmary, and he also does not provide much of an attacking threat. After all, the France international only has six goals and nine assists in 201 appearances for Real Madrid.

García, on the other hand, is everything Mendy is not. The 25-year-old is a young, attack-minded fullback that plays his best soccer with complete freedom on the left flank. In six matches under Alonso in the United States, García recorded a goal and an assist playing as a wing-back.

The Spaniard is a liability defensively, though, and has struggled against top opponents in Europe. The most recent example came when Real Madrid played PSG in the Club World Cup semifinals, and he was outclassed by Achraf Hakimi and Désiré Doué.

Real Madrid’s decision could also be as simple as Alonso deciding what system he wishes to deploy. If the former Bayer Leverkusen boss wants to stick with a back three, then García is the obvious choice; Mendy would not thrive as a left wing-back.

It will be interesting to see what direction Real Madrid take now that they have an exciting new left back in the ranks. Should Carreras impress, Mendy and García could be fighting for nothing more than a backup role.