Revealed: Real Madrid's ingenious plan to get Man Utd to exercise Alvaro Carreras buy-back clause - and then sign €60m Benfica defender for half the price!

According to a report from AS, Real Madrid are interested in signing highly-rated Benfica left-back Alvaro Carreras this summer, and have devised an ingenious plan involving Manchester United to sign the player for a bargain price. Left-back was not an area Madrid wanted to address as a priority, even though they were linked to Alphonso Davies, but now Los Blancos reportedly want an upgrade that can replace Ferland Mendy and Fran Garcia.

Owing to his stellar performances, Benfica are demanding a €60 million fee to sell Carreras. Madrid are unwilling to spend that amount, but that's where the Red Devils enter the picture. In January 2024, United sold Carreras to Benfica for just €6m. With the Spaniard meeting certain conditions, United now have an €18m buy-back clause which they could activate this summer. Considering that the former Real Madrid youngster is not in Ruben Amorim's long-term plans, United could yet activate the buy-back option and sell him for around €30-35m, a fee that's much more appealing to Los Blancos than what is being quoted by Benfica.

Real Madrid's head of scouting Juni Calafat has been monitoring the defender and believes that he fits perfectly into the club's long-term vision. Should they not advance with their interest in Carreras, Madrid do have a buy-back option for Girona's Miguel Gutierrez. The former Real Madrid player has been linked with a return and has a modest buy-back value of €8m. However, doubts over Gutierrez's talent have grown after a poor season with the Catalan side.

A major shake-up is expected to unfold at the Santiago Bernabeu this summer. It is widely believed that Carlo Ancelotti will leave this summer and will be replaced by Bayer Leverkusen head coach Xabi Alonso. While fans await the end of the season to figure out which direction the club's future is heading, Ancelotti's men will welcome Celta Vigo in a crunch La Liga fixture this Sunday, May 4. Madrid are four points behind arch-rivals Barcelona with just five games to go, but still remain in the hunt to defend their top-flight crown.