Real Madrid Transfer News: Top Marco Reus, David de Gea, Martin Odegaard Rumours

Marco Reus has reportedly been given the requisite reassurances he needs ahead of potential move to Real Madrid, with reports suggesting Gareth Bale will be sold to make space for the Borussia Dortmund man.

That’s according to the Express (h/t Colin Harvey of the Daily Star), which claims that while the German is keen on a move to the Spanish capital, he harbours some concerns about where he will fit into the current setup.

But the piece notes that he has been promised that Bale will be sold to Manchester United, who are willing to splash £120 million on the Welshman.

Here’s a look at what Reus would bring to the Santiago Bernabeu:

If the reports are to be believed, Reus’ concerns are understandable. If he does leave Dortmund, he’ll want to join a club where he can play regularly. With Bale, Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema performing so well as a triumvirate, it’s initially difficult to see where he’d fit in.

Especially when they rack up numbers like this, per Squawka Football:

But Bleacher Report’s Sam Tighe thinks Reus is a world-class forward who could flourish anywhere:

Real have denied they are looking to cash in the Welshman, per Marca (h/t BBC Sport), and on the face of things it would be a peculiar decision to do so.

But if United are willing to pay a world-record fee and Reus is available for a reported £20 million, per Harvey’s piece, then it’s a switch that could make a whole lot of financial sense for Los Blancos.

Daniel Kopatsch/Getty Images

Replacing Bale’s output might be difficult for Reus, but another player in this squad may be even more difficult to replicate—legendary goalkeeper Iker Casillas.

According to David McDonnell of the Mirror, the man tipped to eventually fill those enormous gloves could be United stopper David De Gea, who reportedly remains a target for Carlo Ancelotti's team.

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The 24-year-old only has 18 months remaining on his current deal with the club, and on paper he looks like a perfect long-term replacement for Casillas. According to Ian Ladyman of the Daily Mail, the Red Devils will offer the goalkeeper a new deal, but as noted in McDonnell’s piece, they remain concerned about a potential move from the European champions.

De Gea has matured into one of the finest goalkeepers in world football, and it’s easy to see why Madrid are keen.

He would cost big money to bring in, but the Spaniard has the class to nail down a spot between the sticks for years and years to come. With that in mind, even a world-record sum for a goalkeeper would be a sound investment.

Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

Another potentially prosperous acquisition looks to be Norwegian teenager Martin Odegaard, a player who looks increasingly likely to join up with Real Madrid, per Paul Gorst of the Mirror.

Indeed, the 16-year-old was in attendance at the recent derby match between Real and rivals Atletico Madrid, per AS:

The lure of Los Blancos is something that would be difficult to turn down for any young player, but there’s certainly a host of clubs on the continent that look a lot more suited to Odegaard at this moment in time. It’s something that was noted recently by Bleacher Report’s German football expert Clark Whitney:

Here's why Odegaard has been courted by a host of Europe's top clubs:

The Norwegian has the world at his feet, it would seem, and is clearly a supremely talented player. But for all of the positive things Real do, developing young players and integrating them into the first team is not one of them. Indeed, in what is arguably the club's best XI, only Casillas and Dani Carvajal came through the academy.

At this juncture, a move to a team like Schalke, Southampton or Ajax—all renowned for refining young talent before giving them first-team opportunities—would be the best course of action for Odegaard.

If he switches to Madrid at such a young age, it could be to the detriment of his stratospheric potential and eventual progression.