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The latest Real Madrid transfer news includes Manchester City trying to sign Isco, Casemiro returning to the Santiago Bernabeu and Los Blancos keeping tabs on Sergio Aguero.

Spanish sports newspaper Mundo Deportivo has revealed Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini has made Isco a priority target for this summer transfer market. The former Los Merengues manager has long tried to convince Isco to join him at City and this time he’s willing to launch a crazy bid.

Isco is not a guaranteed starter and it seems possible that Pellegrini could persuade him to move to the Premier League. Yet, Florentino Perez is not willing to let the young Spaniard go no matter the offer, so it seems highly unlikely that negotiations could come to a good end.

City and Real could also be involved in other talks. With Chicharito Hernandez leaving Madrid, Los Blancos are looking for a striker and they are expected to give Aguero another try. Perez has failed to bring the Argentinian to Madrid in all his previous attempts. Yet, Spanish newspaper AS has reported the Los Merengues president will try again this summer.

Aguero isn’t as happy as he could be in Manchester and he could be seeking for a way out. However, this time Madrid might not be one of his preferred destinies, since he wouldn’t be guaranteed the starting striker role with Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo in the squad.

Casemiro closing on Madrid return

It is not official yet, but Casemiro will very likely return to Madrid after holidays to become part of the squad for next year. The Brazilian has spent this season on loan at Porto, performing at a spectacular level and helping his team reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

Porto wanted to sign him on a permanent deal but Spanish press has reported that Rafa Benitez wants him in his team. Yet, depending on what players arrive this summer, Casemiro could leave again on loan before the season begins.

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New Real Madrid boss Rafa Benitez has rejected claims he is too defense minded to be a successful boss at Los Blancos and has promised his team will score goals.

The Madrid-born boss, who started his career as a coach in the Real Madrid youth set up, has always been tagged as a manager who likes to opt for more defensive line ups and build from the back.

But at his first press conference at the Santiago Bernabeu, Benitez highlighted his Napoli side had scored more than 100 goals last season. He added that he has a responsibility to ensure Real play attacking football and score plenty of goals.

“I think today isn’t the day to talk about the system or where players are going to be fielded. I think it’s more a welcome. I’ve seen it said I’m defensive – there were 104 goals for Napoli last season. Real Madrid have to play well, to their full potential, and I don’t think the system is the thing but the style. We play to win. You have to play well, win, and score goals,” he said.

Speaking about his return to the club, he said it was a proud and emotional moment for him.

“It’s a very special day. It’s been a tough road and to come back to my home was one of my objectives and there’s a lot of people here I’ve known for many years. You can say it’s a cycle because I started here and I’m here again. It’s a day to enjoy,” Benitez commented.

“Coming back here, I remember there was a training pitch where the shop is. I was overcome with emotion. It’s a special place for me and now the motivation is to achieve success, to win titles.

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Turkish side Besiktas have made an offer for Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas, according to reports.

The club captain has maintained that despite a difficult relationship with the fans at times this season, and rumours Los Blancos want to sign David de Gea, that he wants to stay at the club he has played for since he was 18 years old.

But Madrid-based daily Marca says the Turkish outfit have offered Casillas a lucrative deal to prize him away from the Santiago Bernabeu. There is a major stumbling block, however, as they finished third in the league this season and are therefore not able to offer Casillas Champions League football.

Should Real decide to cash in on their captain, there would be no shortage of takers, with Liverpool and Arsenal believed to be on the lookout for a new number one this summer.

The 34-year-old has spent his entire career at the Santiago Bernabeu, making more than 700 appearances for Los Merengues. He has captained his team to success in the Champions League, La Liga, the Copa del Rey, European Super Cup and World Club Cup.

At international level, he has won the World Cup and two European Championships with La Roja.

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Florentino Perez, Real Madrid president

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has said the arrival of new boss Rafa Benitez makes the club stronger and more likely to be in contention for the big prizes.

The Spaniard put pen-to-paper on a three-year deal after leaving Napoli at the end of the Italian league season at the weekend. He replaces Carlo Ancelotti, who was fired for failing to lead Los Blancos to success in La Liga or the Champions League.

Speaking at the unveiling of the new manager, who started his career as a youth team coach at the club, Perez said Benitez is the right man to lead the club forward.

“The requirement at Real Madrid is always high and our new coach makes us stronger in our objectives, which are the dreams of the Madrid fans,” Perez told the gathered press.

He went on to say: “Rafa breathes football and Real Madrid. He offers hard work and passion for this sport. He is a coach for whom the method makes the basis of his work. He is known for his brilliant preparation for matches and his great track record.”

Benitez has European pedigree having won the Champions League with Liverpool and the UEFA Cup with Chelsea and Valencia. He also won La Liga while in charge of Valencia.

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Rafa Benitez has been confirmed as the new manager of Real Madrid.

The former Valencia, Liverpool, Inter Milan, Chelsea and Napoli boss takes over from Carlo Ancelotti, who was relieved of his duties last week after the club failed to win either the league or the Champions League this season.

A statement on the club’s official website confirmed the appointment of the Madrileno, who will be presented to the fans and media on Wednesday afternoon.

“Real Madrid CF will present Rafa Benitez as the new first-team coach for the next three seasons today, Wednesday 3 June. The ceremony will take place at 1pm CEST [12pm BST] in the presidential box of the Santiago Bernabeu. Following his unveiling, Rafa Benitez will hold a press conference in the press room,” it read.

Benitez began his coaching career at the Real Madrid youth set up. Since then, he has enjoyed success wherever he has been, including winning La Liga with Valencia, and most famously, the Champions League with Liverpool, when the Reds cam from 3-0 down at half time against AC Milan to win on penalties.

Benitez has signed a two year deal worth around four million euros. Stay tuned to www.realmadridnews.com for more on what he has to say in his first press conference.

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Juventus striker Alvaro Morata has said he is aiming to shoot down Barcelona in the Champions League final this weekend and will do so especially for Real Madrid.

The former Los Blancos player left the club last summer in a 20 million euro move to Turin where he has established himself as a key man. He came back to haunt his old club in the semi-final stage this season, scoring a goal in both legs as the Italians progressed to the showpiece event in Berlin.

Having broken Madridista heats, Morata says he now wants to make amends and score against Barcelona to win the trophy for the second year running.

Speaking to Cadena Ser, the 22-year-old stated: “I’ll try to beat Barcelona, because of what it means for Real Madrid fans as well. But it would not be special because of having scored against Barca, but because of the importance of a Champions League final.

“It’s an opportunity to go down in history, and obviously scoring against Barcelona would not be as painful as it was scoring against Madrid. But I need to actually score before thinking about celebrations! Getting a goal in a Champions League final against Barcelona is no easy task.

“I played for Madrid for many years, I’m not going to say it’s an extra motivation for me because you don’t need extra motivation when you play a Champions League final, but facing Barca will always be special for me.”

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Sergio Ramos

Real Madrid vice captain Sergio Ramos has lavished praise on both David de Gea and Rafa Benitez ahead of the pair’s expected arrival in the Spanish capital this summer.

Benitez could be installed as early as tomorrow as the new manager of the club following the sacking of Carlo Ancelotti last week. The Madrid-born coach will have gone full circle having started his career at the team’s youth set up 20 years ago. He announced his departure from Napoli last week and arrived in Madrid on Monday to finalise the terms of his contract – believed to be four millions euros a season for two years.

De Gea’s arrival could happen later on in the summer, with Manchester United holding out for 35 million euros for the shot stopper. The Red Devils insist they don’t to sell, but the former Atletico de Madrid man has been non-committal when asked about his future at Old Trafford.

In quotes published by AS, Ramos said Benitez was a great coach. “You know more than me. He’s a great coach. Whenever a coach with plenty of experience arrives then that is a positive move,” he commented.

And on de Gea, Ramos stated: “He’s a great keeper. I’m aware of the speculation surrounding him joining Madrid but out of respect for Iker and Keylor I won’t make any comments. I always like to play with the best but I can’t comment on players who are not part of the club.”

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Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea has remained coy on his future when quizzed at en event in Spain over the weekend.

The 24-year-old shot stopper has been strongly linked with Real Madrid with Los Blancos reportedly lining up a 25 million euro deal to take the keeper back to the Spanish capital. Real are on the lookout for a new shot stopper with Iker Casillas entering the autumn of his career, while Keylor Navas could depart in search of regular first team football.

De Gea, a former Atletico de Madrid man, is already seen as the successor to Casillas at international level, and could soon replace the Spain legend at club level too.

The Reds’ Player of the Year was at an event over the weekend having been given an honorary title by the Castilla La Mancha region of his country.

When asked by reporters about his future, de Gea avoided the topic, saying he was proud to be recognised as an adopted son of Castilla La Mancha and wanted to enjoy his holidays.

“We’ll see what happens with my future… I’m on vacation now and very happy with this recognition,” he was quoted as saying by Spanish sports daily AS.

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Former Real Madrid goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek has recalled the moment ex-Los Blancos boss Jose Mourninho went wild with rage and accused the squad of having a ‘back-stabbing rat’ among them.

In a new book serialised in El Confidencial, Dudek writes about the 1-1 draw with Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu in 2011. It was deemed a good result for Real at the time as they had to play most of the game with 10 men after Raul Albiol was sent off.

But Mourinho flew into a rage with his players after his plans to play Pepe in midfield, a tactic he thought would surprise Barcelona, made it into the press before kick off.

It has long been thought that the Portuguese fell out with club captain Iker Casillas over leaks to the press – his girlfriend is a Spanish sports reporter. But strories have also emerged suggested Mourinho thought Esteban Granero was the source of the leaks.

In his book, Dudek wrote: “Mourinho came to the dressing room and said that the result was not bad. Indeed, as for almost the entire second half we played with 10 men after Raul Albiol’s red card.

“And then he added: ‘I see your relations with media are quite good. I know we have to get along with them but I didn’t think you were getting along that well. I heard from them that you do not want the meetings before the games, that we practice set-pieces wrong way and our tactical trainings are not good enough.

“‘I turn on my TV four hours before the game and what the f*** do I see? That the journo is giving away our squad.’

“Mourinho started shouting: ‘How could we ever surprise Barca if one of you is a rat! Yes, yes a rat! Somebody released the info about the starting XI before the game.'”

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Real Madrid midfielder Sami Khedira is set to sign for Seria A champions and Los Blancos’ conquerors in the Champions League, Juventus, according to club director Beppe Marotta.

The German World Cup winner has been linked with a host of clubs ever since he announced he would not sign a new contract with the 10-time Champions League winners in search of a new challenge.

Premier League side Arsenal, who retained the FA Cup at the weekend, were strongly linked with Khedira last summer and over the past few months. Other interested parties included Chelsea, Manchester United, Bayern Munich and Fiorienta.

But if Marotta is to be believed, the 28-year-old will by joining former Real forward Alvaro Morata at the Italian side.

In quotes published in the Italian press, Juve’s director stated: “We are very close to Khedira and will announce it officially when pen is put to paper. We moved swiftly and tenaciously because he has everything we were looking for. It is a winning group and we took the opportunity to further raise the quality level.”

Khedira joined Real in 2010 and won two Copa del Rey trophies as well as the Champions League in his five years in the Spanish capital.

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