Real Madrid Transfer News and Rumours Tracker: Week of July 1

Welcome to your one-stop shop for all the news, however feasible or stretched it may well be, from the Santiago Bernabeu.

---LAST UPDATED: Friday, 05 July 1000 ET---

With Casemiro, Dani Carvajal and Isco already signed, plus Carlo Ancelotti now installed as manager, more movement looks imminent both in and out of the Bernabeu.

There's a feel of anything goes around Los Blancos at the moment, so don't be surprised to see some potentially massive deals.

This slideshow will be constantly updated throughout the week with the most recent news, rumours and rubbish pushed to the first few slides.

With that in mind, make sure you're continuously heading back—you wouldn't want to miss anything.  

Asier Illarramendi

Real Sociedad's Asier Illarramendi is the latest midfielder to be linked with a move to Carlo Ancelotti's Real Madrid.

The 23-year-old was a key fixture as La Real qualified for next season's Champions League and excelled for Spain's Under 21's this summer.

It is now being reported on SER (via Football-Espana.net) that Los Blancos fancy strengthening their midfield with the signing of Illarramendi.

He wouldn't come cheap, though; the San Sebastian club are under no pressure to accept anything which doesn't meet his €30 million release clause.

Arsenal, according to The Express, are also thought to be keen on the player. 

UPDATE: MARCA suggest that Real Madrid are indeed ready to up their efforts to bring in Illarramendi this summer.

They say Ancelotti sat down to watch the European Under 21 final this summer, with the intention of watching Isco, Alvaro Morata and Marco Verratti. Instead he was blown away by la Real's midfielder, and has given Madrid the thumbs up to aggressively pursue him.

UPDATE: Amid reports Madrid will make an offer for Illarra, new la Real manager Jagoba Arrasate, via AS, has said that the Basque club "are not willing to negotiate with anyone." Although he did also admit that sometimes there are "factors in football which we cannot control."

UPDATE: MARCA are reporting that negotiations between the two clubs are well under way, with Real Madrid seemingly prepared to conclude a deal close to Illarramendi's €30 million release clause. The midfielder, despite wanting to help la Real's Champions League campaign, is thought to be happy to move this summer now, rather than run the risk of the Blancos signing Ilkay Gundogan next year.

---LAST UPDATED: Friday, 05 July 1000 ET---

Gonzalo Higuain

Gonzalo Higuain just about remains a Real Madrid player, but with each passing day, his drawn-out exit seems closer.

Marca say that the Argentinian forward has already agreed personal terms with Arsenal, and it's just a case of the Gunners agreeing a fee with Los Blancos now.

This news comes days after Nicolas Higuain, the agent and brother of Gonzalo, had said that the London club are closer than ever to clinching the signing of the Madrid forward, according to Sky Sports.

Juventus had previously been in the running to sign the 26-year-old, but have since signed Carlos Tevez from Manchester City.

UPDATE: Goal.com are reporting that that delay in the deal which could take Higuain to London is due to the two clubs struggling to agree a fee.

Arsenal supposedly will pay no more than £21 million, while Madrid are hoping to hold out for £25.5 million.

UPDATE: Fox Sports, via AS, have reported that a fee of €27 million has been agreed for the striker to leave Madrid for Arsenal. The player was spotted by Spanish television cameras at Madrid-Barajas Airport on Thursday morning, and his father, Jorge, confirmed to Fox Sports:

“We have been given permission by Real Madrid to negotiate with Arsenal. I will luckily be able to see my son in the Premier League soon.” 

---LAST UPDATED: Friday, 05 July 1000 ET---

Pepe

Reports linking Manchester City with a bid for Real Madrid's defender Pepe resurfaced again on Friday morning.

The Independent suggests that the signing of the Portuguese international fits in with the club's idea of improving their performance in the Champions League by bringing in more experienced players.

They add that City are unlikely to face great resistance from Madrid, who they hint would be prepared to let him go for £15 million.

Raphael Varane and Sergio Ramos appear to be preferred to the 30-year-old in the Spanish capital now, and Pepe may be ready to accept a new challenge in England.

---LAST UPDATED: Friday, 05 July 1000 ET---

Jose Callejon

It could just be a matter of dotting the I's and crossing the T's now as Jose Callejon nears his departure from Real Madrid to Napoli.

The forward has never managed to enjoy a regular run in the Madrid side, and now seems set to leave the Spanish capital in search of regular football.

MARCA say that the deal, worth over €8 million, has been helped by the fact that Rafa Benitez is the new manager at the Italian club.

Although they do add that the 26-year-old has not totally made his mind up yet, and may delay any transfer until he has officially spoken with Carlo Ancelotti. 

---LAST UPDATED: Friday, 05 July 1000 ET---

Antonio Adan

Antonio Adan has been told that he is free to leave Real Madrid.

The 26-year-old, who shot to notoriety when he replaced Iker Casillas in the side against Malaga last season, has just one year left on his deal.

MARCA have reported that the club have told him he can negotiate with other teams, and his agent, Iñaki Espizua, has already set about finding another club.

No one has emerged as a candidate to sign the 'keeper yet, but it is expected he'll want the chance to be a No. 1 wherever he does eventually end up.

---LAST UPDATED: Friday, 05 July 1000 ET---

Xabi Alonso

According to El Economista, via football-espana.net, Xabi Alonso has rejected Real Madrid's latest offer of a new contract.

Los Blancos are keen to know what the 31-year-old's intentions are as he continues to preach "patience."

The relationship between the club and player is said to remain excellent, but it is though Alonso has one eye on the final stage of his career.

With one year left on his deal at the Bernabeu the same publication suggests he may be thinking about one last move next summer, on a free.

---LAST UPDATED: Thursday, 04 July 0700 ET---

Jese Rodriguez

Jese Rodriguez is currently starring for Spain Under 20s in the World Cup in Turkey, but Marca have claimed on Thursday that he's unsure about his future:

""I don't know what the club wants, but I guess it wants me to stay. I'm not sure what I'm going to do, I'm not going to lie."

The young forward's contract is up in 2014, and his comments are in reference to the lack of movement over a new deal.

It's probably little more than speculation though, with Madrid likely to thrash out new terms when he returns from his scoring spree with La Rojita.

---LAST UPDATED: Thursday, 04 July 0700 ET---

Nemanja Matic

Portuguese newspaper A Bola, via AS, have claimed that Real Madrid have entered the running to sign Benfica's Nemanja Matic.

The 25-year-old is a midfielder and a Serbian international.

Los Blancos are supposedly ready to include Fabio Coentrao in any potential deal,

Coentrao, who previously played for the Portuguese club, is thought to be keen on a move back to his homeland.

It's also been suggested Madrid will also secede the 50 percent stake they hold in any future sale of the defender Ezequiel Garay, who joined Benfica directly from the Bernabeu in 2011.

---LAST UPDATED: Wednesday, 03 July 1000 ET---

Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo remains coy over his future, although it is still most probable that he'll still be at Real Madrid next season.

During a trip to Singapore, via Sky Sports, he has spoken about both missing English football and enjoying his time in Spain:

"

I miss English football. For me, it was one of the best years in my career when I was there in Manchester United. Everyone knows that it is a club that is still in my heart and I really, really miss. But now my life is in Spain. I am enjoying playing there too. Part of my life is there, but in the future we never know.

"

The Daily Mail had previously reported that United were on red alert as the Portuguese failed to commit to a new contract at the Bernabeu.

However, with each day that passes in July, Ronaldo becomes more and more likely to remain in the Madrid white next season. 

---LAST UPDATED: Wednesday, 03 July 1000 ET---

Kaka

Most believe that this is the summer when Kaka will eventually flee from the Bernabeu.

Barely a transfer window passes where the Brazilian is not linked with a transfer and, with the World Cup in his homeland next summer, it seems the perfect time for him to move on.

Speaking to journalists in China though, via football-espana.net, he suggested he'll remain in Spain:

"I have a contract with Madrid, there's a new coach and, once he has started work, we will meet and exchange ideas. But my intention is to continue at Real Madrid."

That new coach is Carlo Ancelotti, who Kaka worked with at AC Milan, but it is unclear how much of a part the 31-year-old has to play in the Italian's plans—particularly given the arrival of Isco.

---LAST UPDATED: Wednesday, 03 July 1000 ET---

Gareth Bale

Gareth Bale has dropped the biggest hint yet that he is ready to cut his ties with Tottenham.

In an interview with Esquire, via The Daily Mail, the Welshman has spelt out his desire to play in the Champions League on a regular basis:

"In the Premier League against a lower-end team, they set up to defend all the time, to block you off. But when you play in the Champions League, all the other teams are used to winning every week, so it's more of an open game, it's more attacking, end-to-end. No one's used to defending, everyone's used to attacking and trying to win games, so it's just all against all.'

Real Madrid have long been admirers of the 23-year-old, with The Mirror reporting last week that they had at last posted an official bid.

The bid, which was supposedly cash plus Angel di Maria, was rejected by the London club, but Madrid's interest is unlikely to disappear.

UPDATE: MARCA say that Madrid's attempt to sign Bale has been put on the back burner, as of Wednesday morning. 

Seemingly frustrated at Gareth Bale's to force through a move, and Tottenham's obvious reluctance to do business, Los Blancos are feeling frustrated in their bid to sign the player.

---LAST UPDATED: Wednesday, 03 July 1000 ET---

Ilkay Gundogan

As Robert Lewandowski's future has taken no dramatic turns, MARCA are still reporting that Real Madrid believe Borussia Dortmund may soften their stance on the departure of Ilkay Gundogan:

Los Blancos supposedly already have first refusal on the midfielder next summer, but are looking into the possibility of accelerating any prospective deal.

The paper says that Gundogan's brother has already been to the Spanish capital this summer to discuss a potential move.

Madrid initially believed Dortmund would only sell two players this summer, Lewandowski and Mario Gotze, but if the former is to stay, Florentino Perez looks set to do all he can to secure Gundogan.

---LAST UPDATED: Tuesday, 02 July 0900 ET---

Stevan Jovetic

Stevan Jovetic has been one of the hot names in the transfer market so far this summer, and now it appears Real Madrid are interested in him too.

The 23-year-old forward, who plays for Fiorentina in Italy, is reportedly one of Carlo Ancelotti's top targets.

It was reported in The Daily Star toward the end of last week that Los Blancos were set to hijack Arsenal and Chelsea's moves for the Montenegrin. 

According to Football-Italia.net, the press in Spain have now picked up on the story as well, suggesting Madrid could offer €22 million. 

UPDATE: Despite confirming Real Madrid are not particularly chasing a forward at the moment, MARCA have confirmed the club's interest in Jovetic. He's unlikely to be fought for in the way Gareth Bale might but, if there's an opportunity to do business, Los Blancos could be interested. 

---LAST UPDATED: Tuesday, 02 July 0900 ET---

Geoffrey Kondogbia

The next few days could prove decisive in the future of young Sevilla midfielder Geoffrey Kondogbia. 

Marca have said that Real Madrid want to put the finishing touches on a deal for the player, who is away at the Under-20 World Cup with France this week.

Meanwhile, The Mirror say that the Andalusian club have already turned down a bid of around €9 million—citing Chelsea as a possible bidder.

If Los Blancos do manage to force a deal through, they may loan Kondgobia back to Sevilla to continue his development there next season.

---LAST UPDATED: Monday, 01 July 0800 ET---