Juventus Reportedly Join Real Madrid In Race To Sign Premier League Defender
The center-back position looks to be a key area for Real Madrid to address in 2026. The Spanish club appears to be focusing primarily on the free agency market after the current season.
Names such as Dayot Upamecano, Ibrahima Konate, and Marc Guehi have been linked with Los Blancos and are all out of contract at the end of June 2026. However, all three of those names appear to be out of reach for Xabi Alonso's team, according to reports.
Another name has emerged as a potential signing, out of contract in 2026. The club faces strong competition from the Italian side Juventus.
Juventus join Real Madrid in the race for Marcos Senesi
According to Matteo Moretto of Marca, Juventus have joined Real Madrid and Barcelona in the race for Marcos Senesi. The Bournemouth center-back is another player with just six months left on his current contract.
The 28-year-old looks set to leave the Premier League side as no new deal has been agreed between both parties. The former San Lorenzo player moved to England from Dutch side Feyenoord and is in his fourth season with the Cherries.
In his fourth season, he has been a solid option for Andoni Iraola during his time at the club. It's no surprise to see the big teams looking at Senesi as a potential signing, especially as he could possibly cost nothing in transfer fees.
According to reports, Juventus are prioritizing a left-footed center-back who can operate in a high line and build from the back. Clubs outside of England can negotiate with the players' representatives in January regarding a pre-contract deal. Bournemouth will have to work hard to secure a new contract for the Argentinian.
Real Madrid set to be short at center-back next season
Reports suggest that David Alaba is set to leave after the current season as a free agent. Antonio Rudiger is also out of contract after this season, and it's unclear if he will be offered an extension.
That leaves just Dean Huijsen, who signed this past summer, alongside Eder Militao and Raul Asencio. There are some promising young players in the Castilla squad, such as Joan Martínez, but they are still short at the position.
The club have also been mentioned alongside players at the top of the list of possible transfer targets. William Saliba is reportedly one of Real Madrid's top targets. However, after recently signing an extension with Arsenal, that looks off the table for now.
One thing seems clear: Los Blancos will sign at least one center-back after this season. The question is who.
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-031bbeb5612ca252e2129722373fa56d.png "Jordan Merritt")
Jordan Merritt is a staff writer for Real Madrid On SI. Before joining On SI, he wrote at Fansided, covering Ole Miss football, basketball, and baseball. He has also written for YardBarker, Heavy Sports, and the official EFL site. Merritt is a big sports fan, spending most of his weekends watching Soccer, the NFL, the NBA, college football/basketball, and others. Before starting his career as a freelance writer, Merritt was an Engineer for over 10 years. He lives in West Yorkshire, England, and is keenly interested in sports trading cards.
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