Serie A heavyweights AC Milan and AS Roma are reportedly interested in signing long-serving Real Madrid defender Nacho on a free transfer.
According to a report from Spanish publication SPORT, Italian giants AS Roma and AC Milan are considering a fresh approach for Real Madrid’s versatile defender Nacho, who will be a free agent at the end of the season.
Nacho has spent his entire career at Real Madrid, making his way through their youth academy, and has established himself as a vital member of the team during one of the most successful eras ever.
He has racked up 286 competitive appearances since making his debut in 2010, and while he has never been a nailed-on first choice at Santiago Bernabeu, his capability of operating in multiple positions across the backline is a major reason why he has been highly rated by so many managers throughout his tenure.
Known as “Mr. Reliable” by the Madrid faithful, he has played a key role in five Champions League victories and three La Liga triumphs. The versatile defender scored three goals in 42 appearances across all competitions last season as Los Blancos finished the season with a historic double, but his playing time has been on the decline lately.
Only 26 of his 42 appearances were starts, a trend that has worsened over the course of the ongoing season, with the summer addition of Antonio Rudiger pushing him further down the pecking order, while Madrid have plenty of fullback options as well.
Even though the club is eager to sign him to a new contract since his current one expires next summer, there is growing speculation that he may leave the capital due to a lack of game time, having played just 414 minutes of football so far this season.
Needless to say, if he were to leave, he has no shortage of suitors. AS have listed a number of MLS clubs that would happily sign him as a free agent, including David Beckham’s Inter Miami. There is also some serious interest from Italy, with AC Milan and Roma mentioned as potential destinations for the Spaniard.
The Giallorossi, for one, hold a long-standing interest in Nacho, going back to 2017. They were heavily linked with the veteran last summer, and as indicative as the ties appear to be, it was current Roma boss José Mourinho who promoted the-then youngster into the Madrid first team more than a decade ago. It is no secret that the Special One admires the centre-back’s abilities both on and off the pitch.
However, Roma aren’t the only ones keeping close tabs on Nacho, as AC Milan also have him in close sight. The Rossoneri signed 21-year-old defender Malick Thiaw from Schalke 04 to replace veteran Alessio Romagnoli last summer but can do with someone of Nacho’s experience and versatility at the back with right-back Sergino Dest not pulling up any trees at San Siro since his loan move from Barcelona as well.
Nacho has been a part of a winning culture for a long time and could help in instilling the same at Milan. And while he will turn 33 years old in January, he is still in peak fitness condition to impact games, with suggestions that he is unlucky not to make Luis Enrique’s Spain squad for the Qatar World Cup.
