Alvaro Carreras, a left-back for Benfica, has recently drawn interest from Real Madrid, who hope to sign him to solve their left-back problems.
Additionally, a statement from Bruno Lage, the manager of Benfica, reiterated Los Blancos' interest (via Madrid Xtra on X): "When I arrived here, Carreras was a failure, today Atlético and Real Madrid are interested in him.”
Carreras' transfer history has been pretty intriguing. Before being traded to Manchester United, he was a young player in Real Madrid's youth divisions. He then persuaded the selectors at Benfica, where he is still, after a few loan stints here and there.
The player has developed into a capable and dependable defender for the Portuguese team and has drawn interest from other teams, including Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid, as Lage told.
Is Alvaro Carreras good enough for Real Madrid?
Carreras was widely regarded as a technically proficient footballer who struggled to find the right fit at Manchester United throughout his time there. But the common perception is that he is a physically tough defender with good ball control.
He is renowned for his ability to dribble and is a player with impressive technique on the ball. In fact, he is also good offensively, which is something Ferland Mendy is always criticized for.
This is due to the fact that he began his career as a striker for his hometown club Racing de Ferrol, where legend has it that he scored over 100 goals in a single season. The number, of course, has not been verified.
But, you get the point. He is a fullback with excellent offensive skills.
Real Madrid have long sought a defensively solid and offensively active left-back. They absolutely need the next Marcelo to lead that side of the pitch, but they haven't found the right person yet.
Carreras, based on his performances at Benfica, appears to be a viable possibility. However, the player is still young. Also, only solid in the Portuguese league. His future is still not being assessed correctly.
Of course, this is merely a preliminary interest. The season is still far from over. Then there's the Club World Cup. Only in June will we be able to determine how significant this interest is.
However, it is believed that Real Madrid may be considering an unconventional strategy to sign the player for a lower sum.