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Real Madrid are ready to compete with Barcelona for the signing of Tottenham Hotspur full-back Pedro Porro, according to reports in Spain.
The 27-year-old signed a new long-term contract at Spurs in June, valid until 2031, but rumours suggest that he could be open to leaving the club if he receives an attractive offer next summer.
Barcelona and Real Madrid have both been linked with a possible move in recent months and Spanish outlet SPORT confirm that Porro is wanted by the El Clasico giants, just days after he revealed his desire to return to his homeland before the end of his playing career.
“Obviously, I’d love to return to Spain someday,” he told El Larguero (via The Standard) last week.
“It’s my country, and I like the league. Right now, it would be very unfair to talk about anything other than my club because I’m under contract, but obviously, I’d love to go back to Spain; it’s a big dream of mine.”
If Barcelona win the race for his signature, Porro would likely take the starting XI place of academy wonderkid Xavi Espart, while Trent Alexander-Arnold would be demoted even further down the pecking order if the Spurs star moves to Real Madrid.
Alexander-Arnold endured an injury-hit first season at the Bernabeu and he is now the club’s third-choice right-back behind Denzel Dumfries and Federico Valverde. The England international has been an unused substitute on six occasions so far this season, and several Premier League teams are keeping close tabs on his situation, including his former club Liverpool, who remain in the market for a new right-sided defender.
It’s reported that Tottenham want a fee of up to €80 million to sell Porro next year, but if Real Madrid match this asking price, Alexander-Arnold’s future at the club will be called into serious question, which could result in a return to Anfield.
Jose Mourinho provides Trent Alexander-Arnold transfer update
However, while Real Madrid are reportedly eager to lure Porro back to Spain next year, Mourinho doesn’t believe Alexander-Arnold will ask to leave the club in 2027.
“First of all, it hurts me. I don’t like to make players feel bad. I want them to feel good,” Mourinho told reporters over the weekend. “Obviously, when you build a squad with two players per position as your foundation and then have a third player take the field, that’s something I don’t like.
“But there are things that are more important than these feelings. Things that are more important for the team at a given moment. And I decided that right now, the move was to change up the midfield and put Fede [Valverde] in there.
“I don’t think either of them [Alexander-Arnold or Dumfries] is going to ask to leave. The demands of the season, with so many games and these ‘gifts,’ accumulated yellow cards, fatigue, the occasional injury…ultimately, everyone will play. I don’t think we’ll have that kind of situation.”
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