Sport
“Real Madrid Should Pick Saliba, Not Laporte” – Alkorta
Former Athletic Bilbao sporting director Rafael Alkorta has advised Real Madrid to look to Arsenal’s young center-back William Saliba over Al-Nassr defender Aymeric Laporte in the upcoming summer transfer window.
Alkorta believes that investing in Saliba, a promising 22-year-old French talent, would offer long-term benefits for Madrid, with potential to secure the club’s defense for a decade, unlike the 30-year-old Laporte who would offer only a short-term solution.
Alkorta, who has been closely involved in Spanish football for years, suggested that Saliba’s qualities would fit Real Madrid’s tradition of making smart investments in young talents.
Since joining Arsenal from Saint-Etienne, Saliba has grown into one of Europe’s most exciting defenders, impressing with his physicality, composure, and tactical awareness.
His performances have contributed significantly to Arsenal’s recent success, making him a sought-after name among top clubs.
At just 22, he has a high resale value and the potential to become a cornerstone in any backline.
In contrast, Aymeric Laporte, though a proven defender with significant experience in La Liga and the Premier League, might not be an ideal long-term option for Los Blancos.
Laporte, currently playing for Al-Nassr in the Saudi Pro League alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, is an excellent defender, known for his strong passing skills and experience.
He played a pivotal role at Manchester City, where he contributed to multiple titles before making the move to Saudi Arabia in the summer.
However, given his age, Laporte would be more of a short-term reinforcement than a strategic long-term investment.
Speaking with Cadena SER, Alkorta shared his views, stating, I would hold off on a January signing and wait to consider Laporte only as a backup option.
Real Madrid is cautious about their transfers and usually makes few mistakes in this area.
Spending 80 million euros on a young, promising player like Saliba could mean 10 years of stability for the team’s defense, Alkorta added.
Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappe has taken legal action against his former club, Paris Saint-Germain, accusing them of attempted extortion and trying to pressure him into signing a new deal back in 2023 by banning him from training with the squad.
According to reports from Le Parisien, French authorities have launched an investigation after Mbappe, who also captains the French national team, filed a formal complaint for moral harassment. The complaint, which was submitted on May 16, focuses on how PSG handled the striker’s situation during the summer of 2023. At the time, Mbappe was left out of the first-team squad after refusing to extend his contract.
Following the complaint, two investigating judges have now been assigned to oversee the case, with the formal investigation officially starting on Tuesday. Mbappe eventually left PSG as a free agent and signed for Real Madrid, where he has since hit the ground running and made a strong impression with his performances.
Real Madrid boss Xabi Alonso has stressed that every player, including the attackers, must be involved when the team is defending. Speaking ahead of their final Club World Cup group match against Salzburg, Alonso made it clear that defending starts from the front.
“We all have to defend, all eleven players need to press — Vinicius Jr, Jude, Fede Valverde, Mbappé, everyone,” Alonso said. Madrid currently sits on four points after two games and needs just one more point to book a place in the Round of 16. Alonso also addressed questions about Rodrygo, who didn’t feature in their last match against Pachuca.
“Rodrygo is in good shape. He stayed on the bench for tactical reasons. He’s still very important for us, and we’ll definitely need him at the Club World Cup. He’s a special player and will have a big role to play,” Alonso added.
Inter Miami star Lionel Messi has once again been named the highest-paid player in Major League Soccer for the second year running. This was revealed in new figures released by the MLS Players Association, which shows Messi earns a guaranteed $20.45 million. That amount only covers part of his income, as he also cashes in from endorsement deals with brands like Adidas and his revenue-sharing deal with Apple, the league’s broadcast partner.
Reports from Sportico suggest Messi could earn as much as $150 million throughout his two-and-a-half-year contract with Inter Miami, which began in the summer of 2023. Toronto FC striker Lorenzo Insigne sits second on the list with guaranteed earnings of $15.44 million. Third place goes to Messi’s Inter Miami teammate Sergio Busquets, who earns $8.5 million, followed by Atlanta United’s Miguel Almirón at $7.87 million, and San Diego FC’s Hirving “Chucky” Lozano with $7.63 million.
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