Real Madrid Reject Last-Minute Premier League Bid for Wantaway Player—Report

The window closed with the Spanish giants only making one major move this January.

Álvaro Arbeloa is holding on tight to his current squad. | Alberto Gardin/NurPhoto/Getty Images

Real Madrid reportedly denied Bournemouth the opportunity to sign backup left back Fran García on loan for the rest of the season, despite the player’s desire to join the Cherries.

Los Blancos had another a quiet January transfer window, maintaining their recent trend of only signing new players in the summer. The club also only parted ways with Endrick, who joined Ligue 1 outfit Lyon for the second half of 2025–26 right at the start of the month.

The Athletic report García was nearing an exit as well in the final days of the transfer window, intent to reunite with former Rayo Vallecano manager Andoni Iraola at Bournemouth. The Spaniard “reflected” his wishes to the club and the staff, but was left “disappointed” when Real Madrid decided not to go through with the deal.

García, whose contract with the Spanish giants expires in June 2027, will therefore remain at the Bernabéu for the rest of the season at the very least.

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Question Marks Surround García’s Future at Real Madrid

Fran García (center) has earned just one start under Álvaro Arbeloa. | Mateo Villalba/Getty Images

Despite Real Madrid’s move to keep García in a white shirt for at least the next five months, the future is not exactly bright for the 26-year-old. He came into the season expecting to serve as Álvaro Carreras’s backup, but suddenly finds himself fourth in new boss Álvaro Arbeloa’s pecking order.

Not only is García behind both Carreras and Ferland Mendy—once he returns from injury—but he is now also losing minutes to natural midfielder Eduardo Camavinga. The Frenchman has gotten two starts on the left side under Arbeloa, a position he played out of emergency under Carlo Ancelotti.

García, meanwhile, has been an unused substitue in Los Blancos’ last three matches. Since Arbeloa took over for Xabi Alonso, the left back has only made two appearances and logged a total of 78 minutes.

Injuries could open the door back up for García to get back into the fold, but as it stands, the former Rayo Vallecano standout is looking at extensive time on the bench in the ensuing months. He will have to wait until the summer to potentially explore another move out of the Spanish capital.

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Real Madrid’s Quiet January Could Have Major Consequences

Kylian Mbappé is hoping to drag Real Madrid to silverware this season. | Guillermo Martinez/NurPhoto/Getty Images

The lack of incoming and outgoing faces from the Bernabéu this winter does not come as a surprise given the club’s reluctance to make many—or any—moves in January over the last few years. Still, the decision could lead to repeated unwanted history for Real Madrid.

Last season, Ancelotti’s backline was decimated by injuries, but club president Florentino Pérez made no move to give the Italian boss any midseason reinforcements. Los Blancos went on to finish 2024–25 without a major trophy, losing La Liga, the Copa del Rey final and the Spanish Super Cup final to bitter rivals Barcelona.

The Spanish giants are once again in a similar position. Real Madrid fell in the 2025–26 Spanish Super Cup final to the Catalans, made an embarrassing round of 16 exit in the Copa del Rey and sit second in the La Liga standings. The addition of a midfielder or a center back would have been a welcome relief for the injured, floundering squad under Arbeloa’s new command.

Yet the club is once again leaving its dressing room full of superstars to fix their own problems and lead the club to silverware without any new faces. The impending returns of Antonio Rüdiger and Trent Alexander-Arnold will help Real Madrid shore-up their defense, but the recent injury to Jude Bellingham leaves a gaping hole in the team that will not be filled this winter.

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