With the penalty clause.. Real Madrid completes a new defensive deal
Real Madrid have sealed a new deal during the summer transfer window to bolster their ranks in preparation for next season, after going without a trophy in the last two seasons.
Several press reports in the past days indicated that Real Madrid has agreed with Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate to join the ranks of the Royals, after the end of his contract with the Reds.
Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano, an expert on European mercato, said on Tuesday that Real Madrid had finalized a new deal, signing Dutch right-back Denzel Dumfries, the right-back of Inter Milan.
He added through his official account on "X": "The deal has been agreed, and the Dutch right-back has joined Real Madrid from Inter Milan, and the Spanish club will pay the value of the penalty clause of 20 million euros."
He confirmed that the official announcement will come after the end of the elections for the presidency of Real Madrid and the confirmation of Florentino Pérez as president, after which the routine procedures of signing and medical examination will begin.
The deal comes within the vision of Portuguese coach Jose Mourinho expected to return to lead the team, as Dumfries was considered one of the main reinforcements to fill the void in the right hallway after the departure of Dani Carvajal and the decline in the physical condition of Alexander-Arnold.
Mourinho to the Bernabéu suspended"
The last hours witnessed dramatic developments that confirmed Jose Mourinho's signing of an official contract with Real Madrid until June 2029, to return to the club for a second term more than a decade after his departure, but the official announcement hit a legal and financial obstacle related to the ongoing presidential elections within the club, as the activation of the contract is conditional on the victory of Florentino Pérez in the June 7 ballot, while his rival Enrique Riquelme announced his refusal to rely on Mourinho in his project.
According to The Athletic, the contract has already been completed for three seasons, but the delay in the announcement led to the expiration of the reduced penalty clause clause with Benfica, raising the value of the disengagement to €15 million instead of €7 million, which put the Madrid management in an unexpected financial predicament.
Mourinho, who has been conditioned by absolute powers in the dressing room and sporting decisions, has already begun to engineer the Mercato behind the scenes, giving the green light to three major defensive deals and bringing back Brazilian Endrik from his loan to Lyon, and has also settled on moving his entire coaching staff from Benfica to Madrid, led by his assistants Joao Tralhao and Pedro Machado.
The return of "Special One" is expected to be officially announced at a press conference at the Santiago Bernabéu early next week, as soon as the polls close and the final results of the presidential elections are announced at the Royal Club.