Man Utd’s ‘best player’ tipped for Real Madrid move as Los Blancos ‘lurking in the shadows’ for €90m star | OneFootball

Real Madrid are not giving up on signing Castello Lukeba despite Arsenal being confident of a 2026 summer deal, according to a report, as Manchester United attacking midfielder Bruno Fernandes is tipped to move to Estadio Bernabeu.

With Antonio Rudiger and David Alaba out of contract at Real Madrid at the end of the season, the Spanish and European giants are on the hunt for at least one new centre-back for the summer of 2026.

Madrid have already made contact with Ibrahima Konate, who is out of contract at Liverpool at the end of the 2025/26 campaign and has been given until Easter to make a final decision on whether or not he will accept the new offer from the defending Premier League champions.

Real Madrid target Castello Lukeba

Los Blancos, though, are not putting all their eggs in one basket, with Castello Lukeba also on their radar.

TEAMtalk’s transfer correspondent, Fraser Fletcher, reported on December 9, 2025, that Real Madrid are monitoring Lukeba with a view to a 2026 summer move for the RB Leipzig defender.

Sports Boom has now brought an update on the situation of the 23-year-old, reporting that Arsenal are ‘confident’ of winning the race for the defender.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is personally keen on a deal for Lukeba, according to the report, which has added that Leipzig could accept €60million (£52.1m, $71.2m) for him this summer even though his release clause is €90m (£78.2m, $106.8m).

Sports Boom, though, has claimed that Real Madrid, like Aston Villa, are ‘lurking in the shadows’.

Bruno Fernandes backed for Real Madrid transfer

Former Manchester United coach Rene Meulensteen believes that Bruno Fernandes would move to Real Madrid – or Barcelona – if he gets the chance to.

While describing the Portugal international attacking midfielder as Man Utd’s “best player”, Meulensteen has said that he does not expect the 31-year-old to play for another Premier League club.

Metro quotes Meulensteen as saying about Fernandes: “I think he’s very connected to United and loyal.

“I think there might be a case where another team, perhaps in Saudi Arabia, comes knocking with a significant amount of money because we all know the money situation at United.

“He’s committed quite some years now to United, and he is possibly their best player for the last six seasons.

“What he’s contributed, even in poor moments for United, he’s the one that constantly delivered.

“If you ask me, if a team like Real Madrid or maybe Barcelona would come, he might be tempted to go and say, ‘Listen, I want to experience that.’”

‘But not for another Premier League team.’

NO Real Madrid offer for Lennart Karl

Bayern Munich wonderkid Lennart Karl publicly declared in January 2026 that he wants to play for Real Madrid.

Karl said at a Bayern supporters group event: “FC Bayern is a very big club. It’s a dream to play there.

“But at some point, I definitely want to go to Real Madrid.

“That [Madrid] is my dream club, but let’s keep that between us.”

There have been rumours since then linking Madrid with a summer move for the 17-year-old attacking midfielder.

However, Bild journalist Christian Falk has dismissed claims that Madrid have already made a bid for the 17-year-old German gem.

Falk wrote on his website, CFBayernInsider: “It is NOT TRUE: Real Madrid have submitted an enquiry for Lennart Karl.

“Every week, you have some rumours about Karl and Real Madrid.

“On the one hand, it’s because he trained there in the past, and on the other, he mentioned a ‘dream’ to play there one day.

“There have been all kinds of rumours since, including that Real Madrid have sent a jersey to him – but this is simply not true.

“It’s not true that they made an offer already.

“What is true is that when he turns 18 this February on the 22nd, he will automatically get a new contract until the summer of 2029.