REAL MADRID boss Carlo Ancelotti has issued a hands-off warning to Manchester United and Arsenal regarding his “untouchable” midfielder.
The LaLiga side are nine points behind rivals Barcelona in the title race but remain on course to successfully defend the Champions League.
They welcome Liverpool to the Bernabeu on Wednesday holding a 5-2 advantage from the first-leg of their last-16 clash.
However, this summer the club are preparing for major changes to their engine room with veterans Luka Modric and Toni Kroos both expected to depart and Jude Bellingham identified as their top transfer target.
France international midfielder Eduardo Camavinga is another to have been linked with a move.
Man United are reportedly willing to smash their club record to sign the 20-year-old, who joined Madrid in 2021 from Rennes for £26m.
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Arsenal are another club believed to be keen on trying to bring the youngster to the Premier League this summer after initially wanting him on loan in January.
But despite Camavinga not being a regular starter for Ancelotti, the Italian coach is adamant that his starlet is going nowhere.
He said: “We will not let Camavinga leave, he’s untouchable — like Modric and Toni Kroos.
“Camavinga is untouchable for us — also in the future I’m sure he will stay that way.
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“He makes some mistakes but he plays such good games that everyone forgets about it.”
Meanwhile, a fresh report is claiming that Madrid have submitted their first offer to Dortmund for Bellingham worth around £123m in an attempt to usurp their rivals.
They claim that it is worth £88m up front with the rest of the package made up in incentives.
It adds that Bellingham was initially set on a move to the Bernabeu but has since had his head turned by the potential packages available from the Premier League.
But Madrid now believe that the “whole matter can be resolved in the next international break at the end of March” where the ace is set to be part of Gareth Southgate’s squad for the Euro 2024 qualifiers with Italy and Ukraine.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
