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It is not a secret that Real Madrid are looking for a way out for Fabio Coentrao, and his substitute could be Granada’s Guilherme Siqueira according to Spanish digital newspaper ElConfidencial.com.

Coentrao, who has already expressed his desire to move back to Benfica, is reported to be leaving Bernabeu this summer, although his high price has been a problem for the moment to find a destiny for the Portuguese. Real is expecting to recover a high portion of the 30 million euros the paid for him.

Carlo Ancelotti has asked for a replacement in casi Coentrao leaves and that could be Guilherme Siqueira. The Brazilian declared a few weeks ago he would only switch Granada for a Champions League qualified side who could offer him a very high salary.

Real Madrid fulfils those requirements and would be willing to pay Siqueira’s price. The left-back’s buy-out clause is 15 million euros, but reports say Granada would let him go for just eight million.

The 27-year old is one of the most desired left-backs in Europe. Everton, Galatasaray and Liverpool have also shown an interest in signing him.

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Philippe Montanier, the former manager at Real Sociedad who oversaw Asier Illarramendi’s spectacular season last year, has said the Basque midfielder is ready to take over from Xabi Alonso for club and country.

The Frenchman, now manager at Rennes, spoke in an interview with AS about the 23-year-old midfielder who joined Los Blancos from La Real for 38 million euros in early July.

“Xabi is a reference point for Basque players and I feel that he can help him [Illarramendi] to grow and develop too. They can definitely play together. Xabi and Asier are both great players,” Montanier said.

The 48-year-old was also asked whether Illarramendi is too similar to Sergio Busquets to be able to play together in the Spanish national team.

But he dismissed the concerns, preferring to compare him to another Barcelona star, Xavi Hernandez.

He stated: “Comparing is always difficult. Asier has different qualities [to Busquets]; the same role, yes, but different qualities. Asier is more in the mould of Xavi.

“Not only is he a midfielder that works hard to get the ball back, but he has enough quality to be involved in getting things moving and distributing the ball.

“He’s not bothered by what’s happening around him, only what happens on the pitch, and that’s where I have faith in him.”

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The wait is over. Real Madrid fans will get to see the new look side under Italian manager Carlo Ancleotti for the first time today when they take on Championship side Bournemouth on the south coast of England.

Both Marca and AS comment on the strong squad picked to travel to the Goldsands Stadium, which includes the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Mesut Ozul along with new signings Asier Illarramendi, Isco, Casemiro and Daniel Carvajal.

Both papers picked up on comments made by Ancelotti when he first arrived about the style of football he wants Los Blancos to play and they are expecting a free-flowing, attacking game from the Spanish giants.

Elsewhere, Marca reports that while Madrid will sell a number of players to fund a move for Gareth Bale, their attempts to sign him may be in vain as the Welshman would prefer a move to Manchester United.

Finally, two respected managers have been discussing Madrid’s transfer business so far this summer and that signing of Illarramendi in particular. Arrigo Sacchi described the Basque midfielder as “fantastic”.

He said: “I was blown away by Illarramendi. He’s a fantastic player. He can defend, he gets forward well, he reads the game well and can go long or short with his passing. I think he has a lot to offer Real.”

Meanwhile former manager at Real Sociedad, Philippe Montanier, stated: “Not only is he a midfielder that works hard to get the ball back, but he has enough quality to be involved in getting things moving and distributing the ball.”

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Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has used his press conference ahead of the friendly match versus Bournemouth to send his support to Tita Vilanova.

The 44-year-old has to step down as manager of Barcelona on Friday night after a recurrence of the throat cancer he was treated for in New York last season.

Messages of support have come in from all over the world, and Ancelotti was keen to show that Los Blancos have Vilanova at the centre of their thoughts.

He said: “I want to send a message of support and encouragement to my colleague Tito; the situation makes me feel sad. He will keep fighting and I want to say that he has the full support of the whole squad and the club. We hope it all goes well for him”.

On footballing matters, Ancelotti told journalists it was imperative the club keeps hold of Cristiano Ronaldo, who has been subject of interest from both Manchester United and Manchester City this summer, as well as French champions PSG.

“Everyone knows that Ronaldo is a superstar and a great player. It’s important for the club that a player of his quality shows the utmost professionalism. It’s also important for the young players to look up to a player with this attitude,” the Italian manager stated.

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Real Madrid is willing to offer Juventus eight million euros to sign veteran midfielder Andrea Pirlo, according to Italian sports website Tuttomercatoweb.

Reports say Carlo Ancelotti, who already coached Pirlo at Milan, would have asked Florentino Perez to bring in the 34-year old. Tuttomercatoweb claims Florentino Perez has offered Juventus eight million, but the Azzurri wouldn’t consider any transfer for less than ten million.

Ancelotti would like to reinforce with this signing the creative centre-half position, since only Luka Modric has that same profile in the squad. Pirlo confessed a few days ago he could have signed for Los Blancos when he was playing at Milan, but those Real Madrid transfer rumours didn’t become true.

Although he is in the twilight of his career, Pirlo is stick considered by many to be one of the stand out players in European football. He won the Seria A title with Juventus this year, and was one of the players of the tournament for Italy in the European Championship last summer. He memorably scored a chipped penalty as his nation defeated England in last eight of the competition.

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Former Real Madrid youngster Jose Manuel Jurado has slammed Jose Mourinho for failing to achieve his objectives during his three-year stint in Madrid and for damaging the image of the club.

The 27-year-old, who is now based in Russia and plays for Spartak Moscow, told Madrid daily AS that Mourinho undermined the great traditions of Los Blancos.

“Apart from not achieving his objectives, like winning la Decima, I think that under Mourinho we saw the club’s image undermined,” he stated.

He was also critical of the Portuguese manager for failing to give youngsters a chance, always preferring to go outside the club for reinforcements.

“The youth players need to have a certain mentality, given it is more likely that the club will sign somebody before putting them into the first team,” he is quoted as saying.

Jurado, who also played for city rivals Atletico de Madrid also said he though the quality of La Liga had dropped in recent years, with Los Blancos and Barcelona being the only two teams capable of challenging for the title.

He stated: “In my opinion we are seeing La Liga devalued because some years ago it was more competitive, more equal.

“Now Barcelona and [Real] Madrid are so superior it seems the rest of the teams are not motivated, because they know they have no chance of beating them.”

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The main topic in the sports papers this morning is the news that Tita Vilanova has had to step down as Barcelona manager due to a recurrence of the throat cancer that he was treated for last season in New York.

The news broke on Friday evening, and messages of support have been pouring in for the 44-year-old, including from Real Madrid, who sent a message to wish him, his family, and FC Barcelona well.

In other news, Gareth Bale is still the object of Real Madrid’s affections, despite saying this week that he is looking forward to improving under Tottenham Hotspurs boss Andre Villas Boas.

According to Marca, Los Blancos are in the process of raising funds for the transfer. They’ve already received 22 million euros from the sales of Jose Callejon and Raul Albiol to Napoli, while they should receive a substantial chunk of any transfer fee should Ezqeuiel Garay complete a deal to leave Benfica for Manchester United – as is rumoured to be close to completion.

The futures of Gonzalo Higuain and Fabio Coentrao also need to be sorted out, but Los Blancos should be able to receive 65 million euros more for the sale of the pair.

Pre-season preparations will move up a gear this weekend as the 9-time European Cup winners head to England to play Bournemouth in their first friendly match.

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The long running saga over Gonzalo Higuain’s future has taken another twist with Chelsea now reportedly keen on the Real Madrid frontman.

Much speculation has surrounded the Argentinean all summer long, initially with Italian champions Juventus, before it appeared he was on the brink of a move to Arsenal. Some reports even had suggested he had flown to London in late June for a medical examination prior to signing for the Gunners.

This week the president of Napoli went public with his interest, saying he would bid for Higuain as a replacement for the PSG-bound Edison Cavani.

And now AS has reported Higuain as saying former boss Jose Mourinho has told him he wants him to spearhead the attack at Stamford Bridge.

Los Blancos are looking to get around 40 million euros for the striker, who has scored 121 goals in 284 appearances for the club.

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Real Madrid forward Alvaro Morata has said he has no intention of quitting the club amid speculation Premier League outfit Liverpool are prerparing an offer.

The youngster, who played a key role in Spain Under-21’s European Championship success this summer, said he is keen to progress at the Santiago Bernabeu.

The 20-year-old has risen through the youth ranks at Los Blancos and broke into the first team squad last season.

Speaking about a possible move to England, Morata said: “I’m training well and want to stay in Madrid. The club and coach want me to stay. I do not have to turn down any offers because I have not received any. I just want to play here.”

He also took the opportunity to speak about the future of two of the players blocking his path to regular first team football in Madrid – Gonzalo Higuain and Cristiano Ronaldo-  both of which have been linked with moves away.

Morata said Higuain may look for a new challenge, but that he was training with the same enthusiasm as always.

And on Ronaldo, he said: “Cristiano? I do not imagine that he will leave. He is the best in the world and has to be on the best team in the world. I am a fan of his.”

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Madrid sports daily As opens its front page today with the headline “In the hunt of a number 9”. “Mourinho wants Higuain and Ancelotti likes Ibrahimovic”, they claim.

As analyses the other three main candidates for that role: “Luis Suarez is the club’s favourite and they value his age, Aguero would love to go back to Madrid and Rooney wants to leave Manchester United”.

The Madrid paper also publishes the words of youngster Alvaro Morata, who also wants to fight for the forward position: “I want to stay. No matter who comes, I will fight”.

Marca publishes Real is close to signing the renewal of homegrown Jese Rodriguez. “They offer him a five-year deal, earning more than a million euros per season and a 200 million buy-out clause”, they state.

The most sold Spanish sports newspaper also claims “Arsenal won’t offer more than 26 million for Higuain”.

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