Athletic Club could reportedly move to sign Alvaro Odriozola in the summer, with Los Blancos demanding around €20 million for him.
According to a report by Spanish outlet Defensa Central, Alvaro Odriozola could remain in La Liga upon returning from Fiorentina in the summer transfer window. The Real Madrid defender is the subject of interest from fellow La Liga club Athletic Bilbao over a possible move ahead of the 2022/23 season.
Alvaro Odriozola joined Real Madrid from Real Sociedad in July 2018 after showing a lot of promise during his stint with La Real. But the move to Real Madrid has not worked out as envisioned for the 26-year-old, who has never looked like usurping Dani Carvajal as the first-choice right-back.
After joining Fiorentina last summer, the Spanish defender is currently in his second loan stint away from Real Madrid. And Odriozola has enjoyed a solid 2021/22 campaign, turning out 24 times for the Serie A outfit while directly contributing to two goals. But the player will unlikely join La Viola permanently in the summer transfer window, even though Vincenzo Italiano wants him for the 2022/23 season.
Odriozola might not have a spot at Real Madrid either, with Los Blancos in the market for a right-back heading into the summer transfer window. Reece James has reportedly emerged as a priority target for Real Madrid. So Odriozola might need to look for a new club ahead of the 2022/23 season, with Athletic Club a potential destination.
Marcelino currently has four right-backs at his disposal, but a few crucial changes to the first-team squad are on the cards. With Oscar de Marcos well into his thirties and Inigo Lekue recovering from a long-term hamstring injury, pursuing Odriozola makes sense for Athletic Club.
The 26-year-old also fits in Los Leones’ Basque-only policy, meaning a transfer across La Liga could be on the horizon for him. And Real Madrid might not demand a premium to part with Odriozola either, with Los Blancos slapping a price tag worth around €20 million on him.
It will be interesting to see if Odriozola can turn things around for himself at Real Madrid. As things stand, though, the Spanish defender does not have a future with the soon-to-be La Liga champions, with a move to Athletic Club highly possible.