Veteran Brazilian defender Marcelo reportedly does not wish to leave Real Madrid as a free agent and wants to sign a contract extension.
According to a report by Spanish outlet Defensa Central, Marcelo wants to stay put at Real Madrid beyond the summer transfer window. The veteran Brazilian defender is keen on signing a contract extension with Los Blancos, even if it means he will take home lower wages than he currently earns.
Marcelo is one of the greatest players of his generation, the player embodying the concept of a modern-day full-back over the last decade and a half. The 33-year-old joined Real Madrid over 15 years ago and has been integral to their success in this period.
To date, the veteran Brazilian defender has turned out 542 times for Real Madrid, chipping in with 38 goals and 102 assists in the process. But after dropping down the pecking order for left-backs at the Santiago Bernabeu, Marcelo is widely expected to leave Real Madrid as a free agent in the summer transfer window.
The player’s contract will have expired when the summer transfer window opens, and for a long time, the general expectation has been that the two parties are ready to part ways. Marcelo has no shortage of suitors either, with several Brazilian clubs keen on signing him, while he has also been linked with MLS upstart Inter Miami.
Meanwhile, several left-backs have been linked with Real Madrid, including Kieran Tierney. But plans could change heading into the summer transfer window, with Marcelo keen on staying put at the Santiago Bernabeu going into the 2022/23 season.
The 33-year-old wants to sign a contract extension with Real Madrid, even though he will likely pocket lower wages than what he does currently. But it is unclear whether Real Madrid will be ready to hand Marcelo a contract extension, especially if plans to sign a left-back go ahead.
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That said, with the midfield and attacking reinforcements likely to come in plenty in the summer transfer window, pushing the pursuit of a left-back by a year could keep Real Madrid in good stead. So it will be interesting to see if Real Madrid will hand Marcelo a contract extension or if the veteran Brazilian defender leaves as a free agent.