Real Madrid handed fitness blow as key player unlikely to be fully fit until October: Reports

In what would come as a blow to Real Madrid, Ferland Mendy could miss the first couple of months of the 2025-26 season. Mendy, who joined Los Blancos in 2019, has dealt with injuries of late at the Spanish capital.

The Frenchman has been on the sidelines since April after suffering a rupture in his right thigh in the Copa del Rey defeat against Barcelona. After he underwent surgery, initial reports from Spain suggested that he could be out for two and a half months, which meant he was unlikely to return in time for the Club World Cup.

So far in 2024/25, Ferland Mendy has suffered three injuries. He initially picked up a muscle injury in December, which kept him out for almost two weeks. He then suffered a hamstring injury in March, sidelining him for up to a month.

Now, the latest report, as per Marca, is that Mendy is still out of action and isn’t expected to be fully back until September. This means new manager Xabi Alonso could have to turn to Eric Garcia during those periods. Garcia has been deputizing for Mendy in the left-back position since the latter’s latest injury.

Elsewhere, Real Madrid are reportedly planning to make their fouurth signing this summer in Benfica left-back Alvaro Carreras. It is understood that the Spanish giants might consider offloading either Mendy or Garcia to create room for Carreras.

“There has to be a proposal” – Real Madrid told to offer more to sign Liga Portugal star

Amid Real Madrid’s reported pursuit of Benfica’s Alvaro Carreras, the Spanish giants have been told that they have to offer an agreeable amount to sign the 22-year-old. Los Blancos have been actively involved in the ongoing transfer window, having already made three permanent signings.

When Benfica’s president, Bruno Lage, was quizzed about the possibility of losing Carreras, he said (via Sports Illustrated):

“First, there has to be a proposal that Benfica can agree on. Regardless of the player, an agreement is needed. Then, I can see any Benfica player, as long as they have the performance of Álvaro, playing for any team in the world. Álvaro won’t be the first player to leave Benfica and make a name for himself at any European club. I can generalize and, in the last 10, 15 years, any player who has left Benfica, whether Portuguese or foreign, has had the ability to make a name for himself at different clubs.”

Lage’s comments echoed that of Benfica president Rui Costa who said:

“Carreras is going to play in the Club World Cup with us and he’s a Benfica player. We haven’t reached any agreement with Real Madrid for him. There were proposals we didn’t like, in the case of Álvaro and other players.”

Carreras is contracted with Benfica until 2029, and his current market value is €35 million, as per Transfermarkt.

Edited by Ezekiel Olamide