With Kylian Mbappe missing, Alvaro Arbeloa has opted to bench Gonzalo Garcia for their game against Espanyol, choosing to start with the striker partnership of Brahim Diaz and Vinicius Jr.
But that does not necessarily mean that Real Madrid do not rate the young Spanish striker, whose future has become a subject of much discussion, especially amid interest from Borussia Dortmund and other European clubs.
Real Madrid firm on Gonzalo valuation
According to Diario AS, Real Madrid recently informed an Italian club that enquired about Gonzalo that his asking price is €60 million.
The club have no intention of letting him leave on the cheap, regardless of his limited playing time this season.
What’s in store for Garcia’s future this summer? (Photo by Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images)
Gonzalo has played just 615 minutes under Arbeloa, scoring two goals. He has not started a league game since March 2nd and was absent from both Champions League ties against Manchester City and Bayern Munich.
Arbeloa, however, has been publicly supportive of the player.
“I know Gonzalo well; he has exceptional abilities. He’s playing less than he deserves, but I see him working hard, and he has a great future ahead of him. When I’ve needed him, he’s delivered,” the coach said.
The issue is structural rather than personal. With Real Madrid set to bring Endrick back from his loan at Lyon and hand him a prominent role as Mbappe’s backup and a right-wing option, the path to regular game time for Gonzalo becomes even narrower.
A loan move or permanent exit could be on the cards this summer, but Real Madrid will not be rushed into a decision. The €60 million valuation makes that very clear.
