Zidane happy with Madrid despite no signings

Leagues

Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane has insisted that he’s happy with his squad despite the club’s failure to invest in the transfer market this summer.

Martin Odegaard — who has returned from a loan at Real Sociedad — is the only significant addition to Zidane’s team for the 2020-21 season, with Spain’s transfer window to close on Monday.

Madrid drew their opening La Liga match 0-0 with Sociedad before beating Real Betis 3-2 on Saturday thanks to a late Sergio Ramos penalty.

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“Until [Oct. 5] the window is open, but I’m really happy with what I have,” Zidane said on Tuesday in a news conference ahead of Madrid’s game with Real Valladolid.

“We already have a lot of players. And you want to bring in more? Why? It’s already hard enough to pick a team. They’re all really good. I’m happy, really.”

Real president Florentino Perez made it clear at the end of last season that there was no money to spend on additions to Madrid’s title-winning squad due to the financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

Instead, Madrid’s business has been focused on departures and trimming the wage bill, with the highest-profile deals seeing Gareth Bale and Sergio Reguilon joining Tottenham, James Rodriguez moving to Everton and Achraf Hakimi sold to Inter Milan.

It remains to be seen if one of Zidane’s reserve forwards, Luka Jovic or Borja Mayoral — who both played, without scoring, against Betis — will also leave before Monday’s deadline.

“While the market is open, we’ll see,” Zidane said.

“The only thing I’ll say is the players who are here are fine, training well, and that’s what interests me.”

The coach also ruled out a move for Wolves’ striker Raul Jimenez, who had been linked with a move to Madrid in the Mexican media.

“We have this squad. I don’t know what’s happening elsewhere. A lot of things are said. To answer clearly, no, Zidane said.

Zidane suggested that Eden Hazard — who is yet to feature this season after an injury-disrupted 2019-20 — could be ready to join the squad as Madrid host Valladolid in their first home game of the season at the Alfredo di Stefano stadium on Wednesday.

“I think he’s really close. He’s ready now. He’s training well with the team. He hasn’t trained a lot until now, that’s all, but he’s training regularly with us. He’s OK,” Zidane said.

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