Vini and Mbappe are not (good) enough, Madrid targets AC Milan's forward

Real Madrid are preparing for a calculated repair. After a season that fell short of their own standards, the plan is clear: reinforce the spine with a new central defender and midfielder. But as often happens at the Bernabeu, the market rarely follows a script. A more unexpected storyline has begun to gather pace - one that points toward the flanks, and potentially, toward the uncertain future of Vinicius Junior.

With just 14 months remaining on his contract, there is still broad optimism inside the club that Vinicius will commit his long-term future. Yet optimism is not certainty, and in Madrid, contingency planning is almost an art form. As a result, alternative options are quietly being explored. Among them, according to reports relayed from England, is Rafael Leao - a name that has long hovered on the periphery of elite transfer conversations.

Further intrigue comes from Spain, where Diario AS suggests that Real Madrid may not have a clear run. Barcelona, themselves in the market for a left-sided attacker amid expectations of Marcus Rashford moving on, remain attentive to Leao's situation. The Portuguese international, it seems, could yet become the latest chapter in El Clasico's enduring tug-of-war, all of it unfolding in the hours before Madrid's La Liga clash with Betis on Friday night (10 pm).

Yamal and Guler finish their season but will be fit for the World Cup

From Milan's perspective, the stance is pragmatic. AC Milan are open to a sale in the region of €70 million - a figure that would not deter Real Madrid financially. Strategically, however, it is a different question. Unless Vinicius departs, committing such resources to a similar profile would feel excessive, if not redundant. And as things stand, a sudden exit for the Brazilian remains unlikely.

If Leao does leave San Siro in the coming months, it would bring to a close years of speculation linking him with Spain's elite. Yet despite the familiar pull of La Liga, the Premier League may ultimately prove the more realistic destination. Clubs like Manchester United and Liverpool continue to circle, perhaps more decisively than those in Spain, where admiration has so far stopped short of action.

LA LIGA - MATCHDAY 32

Friday

22.00: (3.70) Betis (4.30) Real Madrid (1.90)

Saturday

15.00: (2.25) Alaves (3.35) Mallorca (3.50)

17.15: (5.60) Getafe (3.70) Barcelona (1.65)

19.30: (2.15) Valencia (3.50) Girona (3.70)

22.00: (2.20) Atl.Madrid (3.40) Ath.Bilbao (3.30)

Sunday

15.00: (2.75) Rayo Vallecano (3.10) Sociedad (2.70)

17.15: (2.40) Oviedo (3.30) Elche (3.00)

19.30: (2.15) Osasuna (3.45) Sevilla (3.70)

22.00: (2.10) Villareal (3.45) Celta (3.50)

Monday

22.00: (2.10) Espanyol (3.50) Levante (3.80)

***odds are subject to change***