I Am Scouted by Real Madrid

Chapter 168: Chapter 59: Winter Transfer Window

January is coming to an end, and various teams are reaching the closing phase of their winter transfer window arrangements.

The last league match of January is sandwiched between the two legs of the Spanish King’s Cup quarter-finals. However, for Real Madrid, already eliminated in the King’s Cup, it is only the eight teams still competing in the Cup that are truly suffering.

Real Madrid is in one of the best phases in its history in terms of performance, and with such momentum, the team is busily engaged in contract renewals.

After defeating Atletico Madrid and repeating the miracle of ”conquering the four great Devil’s Home Grounds” from 44 years ago, the Real Madrid Club announced on its official website two days later that it would sign a lifetime contract with the club icon Raul, starting from 2010, the end date of Raul’s current contract.

After this, as long as Raul plays 30 matches in each season across all competitions, his contract will automatically renew for another year.

Additionally, perhaps to win back the fans’ hearts, Calderon clearly stated: After Raul retires, he can choose any management position he likes, and Real Madrid will forever be Raul’s paradise for retirement.

Compared to Raul’s smooth contract renewal, the renewal of another key player on Real Madrid’s front line, Van Nistelrooy, has hit a snag.

With Chen Zhong’s presence, Real Madrid is firmly heading down the path of youth development, and the front line has started to shift from initially hoping Raul and Van Nistelrooy would raise the flag.

Van Nistelrooy hopes the club will offer him a two- to three-year contract, which would mean the Real Madrid front line would still be Van Nistelrooy’s stage for the next two to three years.

Originally, on this matter, there were not many disagreements between the player and the club.

But with the massive protests from fans, legends, and media recently, and Calderon’s announced pivot towards youth training, Van Nistelrooy’s expectations have become somewhat difficult to meet.

First, Real Madrid offered Raul a lifetime contract; secondly, the team has young talents like Soldado and Higuain; finally, Negredo, who performed well at Almeria, is confirmed to join next season.

Van Nistelrooy has not displayed the feeling of a former penalty area king in recent matches, missing crucial opportunities instead.

Therefore, Real Madrid hopes Van Nistelrooy can accept a one-year renewal option to help the front line transition, and a year later...

Real Madrid is unlikely to obstruct Van Nistelrooy’s transfer and might even allow him to leave on a free.

However, Van Nistelrooy’s mood clearly does not affect Real Madrid’s locker room.

Raul’s lifetime contract has made the entire locker room somewhat ”excited,” with Casillas’ smile being the most prominent. Besides Raul, Casillas also signed a lifetime contract, though Calderon knows how to make a spectacle and plans to reveal it slowly later.

In the afternoon dining room, players were discussing recent events, such as the club’s and Barcelona’s fight over Santander Athletic’s center-back Gare.

This was strongly advocated by Real Madrid’s technical advisor, former Santander coach Portugal, who described Gare as the best successor to Cannavaro, which has gained support from Real Madrid’s technical department.

In fact, before signing Pepe, Gare was already a target for Real Madrid, but because he wasn’t a youth player and didn’t have a Spanish passport, it was postponed.

Lastly, the official announcement of Real Madrid borrowing young player Oscar Reyes from the Spanish Youth Team was made. This young player’s contract expires in 2010, and the club has a priority purchase option upon expiration.

This Spanish Youth National Team player will first train with Real Madrid’s C team after joining, waiting for a chance to be promoted to a higher team.

Born in 1988, Reyes is a rising defensive star from the Spanish Youth Team, standing 1.85 meters tall, favoring his left foot and able to play left-back or left center-back.

Diario AS had long taken notice of him, with comments praising not only his excellent physical attributes but also his outstanding footwork, appreciated by Calderon and Sanchez (coaches of Real Madrid’s C and B teams).

In the dining room, as players discussed, they also touched on the recent ”Golden Kids” program, but amid the terrifying social web in the Sports City and with Castilla’s captain Nacho being a staunch supporter himself.

Chen Zhong knew more inside information.

The defender Reyes had already been on Real Madrid’s radar since last summer’s transfer window, and his trip to the C team this time is mainly for gaining experience and familiarizing himself with the team’s atmosphere, with a quick report to Castilla planned afterward.

Castilla’s defender Sergio was recently injured, while another defender from Germany, perhaps influenced by Metzelder’s ”contagion,” was also not in form, prompting the introduction of Reyes, unrelated to the Golden Kids program.

Chen Zhong glanced at Marcelo, who was enthusiastically discussing conspiracy theories, managing to suppress a laugh.