Real Madrid: Poor Transfers & Club World Cup Concerns

Real Madrid‘s pursuit of defensive reinforcements has hit a snag, throwing a wrench into their summer transfer plans. While rumors swirled about deals for Juventus’ Dean Huijsen and Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold, the anticipated arrival of Álvaro Carreras to bolster the left flank is now on hold, impacting their Club World Cup aspirations.

The spanish defender, reportedly a priority target for the *Los Blancos*, faces an unexpected obstacle: his current club, Benfica, has officially registered him for the Club World Cup.This registration effectively prevents Carreras from joining and playing for another team in the tournament.

Benfica Blocks Carreras’ Real madrid move for club World Cup

Spanish football journalist Josep Pedrerol broke the news, stating definitively, Álvaro Carreras is registered with Benfica for the Club World Cup, and you cannot register him twice. Benfica’s stance is clear: if real Madrid wants him, they must pay the release clause, but he will play the tournament with us.

“The idea of ​​Madrid is to pay the clause after the tournament.”

Josep Pedrerol, El Chiringuito

This situation is akin to an NFL team attempting to sign a player already on another team’s super Bowl roster – the rules simply don’t allow it. The Club World Cup registration acts as a temporary roster lock.

Despite reports of a personal agreement between Carreras and Real Madrid, and the player’s desire to make the move, the Spanish giants will be without his services until after Benfica’s Club World Cup campaign concludes.Real madrid had hoped to negotiate a phased payment of Carreras’ €52 million release clause to expedite the transfer.

However, Benfica has reportedly remained firm, insisting on full payment of the clause upfront and demanding carreras’ participation in the tournament for their squad. This leaves Real Madrid in a holding pattern, forced to wait several weeks before possibly finalizing the transfer. The delay deprives them of a key addition as they prepare for a competition they’ve marked as a high priority.

This situation highlights the complexities of international transfers, especially when tournaments are involved. It’s a high-stakes game of chess where timing and leverage are everything. Consider it similar to an MLB team trying to acquire a player right before the trade deadline, onyl to have another team swoop in with a better offer at the last minute.

One potential counterargument is that Real Madrid could simply pay the full release clause instantly. Though, this would set a precedent, potentially weakening their negotiating position in future transfers. It also raises questions about whether Carreras would be match-fit and fully integrated into the squad in time to make a meaningful impact during the Club World Cup, even if he were allowed to join mid-tournament.

Further investigation is warranted into the specific FIFA regulations governing player registration for the Club World Cup and whether any loopholes exist that Real madrid could potentially exploit. Additionally, exploring alternative left-back options for Real Madrid in the short term would be a prudent move, ensuring they have adequate cover for the tournament.