Jurgen Klopp ‘demands’ at Real Madrid open door for €22m Man Utd defender transfer

Jurgen Klopp does not want Dani Carvajal and Ferland Mendy in his Real Madrid squad next season if he were to become the manager of Los Blancos, according to a report, which, if true, will open the door for the Spanish giants to raid Manchester United and bring a top international defender from Old Trafford.

Alvaro Arbeloa was appointed the Real Madrid manager earlier this month, following the departure of Xabi Alonso. However, Madrid did not announce the length of the contract that was handed to Arbeloa.

TEAMtalk’s transfer correspondent, Graeme Bailey, has reported that Real Madrid have made former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp a top managerial target.

Klopp is working as the Head of Global Soccer for Red Bull GmbH at the moment, but sources have told us that taking charge of Madrid (or Barcelona) is something that he has always fancied.

There have been consistent rumours about which players Klopp would want to sign for Madrid and which stars he would want Los Blancos to offload should he take over at Estadio Bernabeu.

According to The Touchline, Klopp has no plans to keep Dani Carvajal and Ferland Mendy at Madrid should he become the new manager.

Right-back Carvajal is out of contract at Madrid at the end of the season, while left-back Mendy is injury-prone.

The Touchline, with 1.5million followers on X, wrote at 11:15am on January 23: “EXCLUSIVE: Jurgen Klopp demands full control over departures and signings if he were to take over the managerial job at Real Madrid in the summer.

“Dani Carvajal and Ferland Mendy would not be in his plans.”

If this is true, then a deal for Manchester United full-back Diogo Dalot will become a real possibility.

On December 13, 2025, our transfer insider, Graeme Bailey, reported that Real Madrid are keen on a 2026 deal for Man Utd defender Dalot.

Sources have told us that Man Utd director of football, Jason Wilcox, is considering selling the 26-year-old Portugal international.

Dalot’s next deal at Man Utd would require a pay-wise, and the club are considering whether to meet those demands or cash in on him.

Dalot’s versatility to play as a right-back, right wing-back, left-back and left wing-back appeals to Madrid.

If Carvajal leaves, then it will mean that Trent Alexander-Arnold would become the undisputed number one right-back at Madrid.

Alvaro Carreras is the first-choice left-back at Estadio Bernabeu, with Fran Garcia his back-up, but the latter is not exactly top-class.

Dalot, who joined Man Utd from FC Porto in 2018 for €22million (£19.3m, $26m), could replace both Carvajal and Mendy in the Madrid squad.

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Latest Real Madrid transfer news: Estevao Willian bid, loan ‘offer’

Meanwhile, a Spanish report has revealed when Real Madrid plan to bid for Chelsea and Brazil international winger Estevao Willian.

Chelsea are said to have made a loan ‘offer’ for a Real Madrid winger, which the Spanish and European giants are considering.

And finally, a former Real Madrid scout has named the ‘best signing’ for the club this season – it is NOT Trent Alexander-Arnold.