Zinedine Zidane has provided an update on the contract extensions of Sergio Ramos and Luka Modric, while also being quizzed on Bayern Munich’s David Alaba.
January 1st not only marks the opening of the winter transfer window, which is reason enough for excitement as football fans, but it’s also the day that sees every player with six months left to run on their contracts free to negotiate with potential future employers over pre-contract agreements.
Three of those (as reported by the Daily Mail) are Real Madrid duo Sergio Ramos and Luka Modric, as well as Bayern Munich defender David Alaba. All three are indisputably world-class, even Modric, at his grand old age.
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That makes January 1st a pretty significant day for Zinedine Zidane, with Ramos and Modric on his books and OK Diario reporting previously that Alaba is of interest to Real Madrid. If he wants any, or all, of the three to sign on with Los Blancos, he needs to move fast.
Zidane appears to have his priorities in order. Quoted by Fabrizio Romano, the Frenchman stressed the urgency of finding a resolution with both Ramos and Modric, but remained coy over Alaba:
“Sergio Ramos and Modric contracts? We want it to be solved as soon as possible. It’s in everyone’s interest. David Alaba joining as a free agent? I won’t talk about players who are not part of our team.”
It’s looking likely to be a busy January for Real Madrid.