Alvaro Odriozola is reportedly set for a last-minute departure from Real Madrid as the 27-year-old right-back edges closer to a return to Real Sociedad on a permanent deal.
According to The Athletic, Real Madrid full-back Alvaro Odriozola is in “advanced talks” over a permanent return to his boyhood club, Real Sociedad. The 27-year-old defender will leave the Spanish capital on deadline day to join La Real.
A product of the Real Sociedad academy, Odriozola joined the Merengues in 2018 for a reported fee of €35 million from La Real. However, he has struggled to establish himself as a regular at the Santiago Bernabeu.
He has not played for Real Madrid so far this season and saw just 92 minutes in all competitions last term after falling well down the pecking order under Carlo Ancelotti since returning from a mixed loan spell at Italian outfit Fiorentina.
Dani Carvajal is Real Madrid’s first-choice right-back, with Lucas Vazquez his deputy. And Ancelotti has even opted to utilise versatile defender Nacho as emergency cover for the position. Odriozola’s game time is set to be incredibly limited in the ongoing season. As a result, he has been made available for transfer.
It is well documented that he has had his heart set on a return to Real Sociedad all summer. He established his name as one of La Liga’s most promising full-backs at the Basque club and now looks set to return to his boyhood club in search of a new start.
La Real have maintained the right-back on their radar for a long time and even reached an agreement over personal terms with the 27-year-old a while back. They have not shied away from being linked with the Real Madrid star in recent times. In fact, club president Jokin Aperribay himself openly acknowledged the interest in Odriozola earlier this week.
All that remained was for a formal agreement to be reached between the two teams. But, for whatever reason, the Basque side have been unable to strike a deal. Now, though, it finally appears that an agreement has been reached between the two sides.
Real Sociedad have been active in the transfer market in recent weeks, having signed Arsen Zakharyan and Kieran Tierney from Dinamo Moscow and Arsenal, respectively. Now, they could be about to welcome one of their own in Odriozola.
Currently, La Real have summer recruit Hamari Traore and Alex Sola in their squad at right-back, with Aritz Elustondo also capable of playing there. But with Champions League football on the horizon, Imanol Alguacil’s side would benefit from more quality depth.
