La Liga
Real Madrid continues to scan the market in search of a reliable center-back to reinforce their squad for the upcoming season. The sports management led by Juni Calafat and José Ángel Sánchez had identified two prominent names on their preferred list: William Saliba (Arsenal) and Ibrahima Konaté (Liverpool). However, securing the transfer of either of these two French players seems almost impossible due to the high transfer costs and their clubs' firm stance against negotiation for their departure.
Facing this situation, the white club appears to have shifted its focus towards more realistic options, with one gaining momentum recently being Loïc Badé, the current player of Sevilla FC. The 25-year-old French defender has performed exceptionally well since joining the Seville team, displaying solidity, good positioning, and remarkable ball distribution skills, qualities highly appreciated by Xabi Alonso, who will be the new Real Madrid coach in 2025/26.
Badé has many advantages in his favor
One of Badé's major attractions is his price. While Saliba or Konaté could exceed 70 million euros in the market, the Sevillan defender could be acquired for around 25 million, a much more affordable figure for the white club, which also plans to strengthen other positions this summer. Additionally, being already acclimated to Spanish football makes him an even more appealing option, potentially fitting into the rotation from day one without an adaptation period.
It's worth noting that Badé is also French, making him a great fit for the Santiago Bernabéu dressing room. A French international who has previously played with Mbappé, the leader of the 'new' Real Madrid.
This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Fichajes Real Madrid: Señalado un central "Low Cost" en la Liga española
