Why Los Blancos Rejected the Liverpool StarReal Madrid have reportedly turned down an intriguing proposal to sign one of Europe’s finest defenders, Virgil van Dijk,

The 20-year-old forward Charles Sagoe Jr has returned to Arsenal from a loan spell with League One side Shrewsbury Town, but that is unrelated to the current injury crisis. After Sagoe Jr made just five starts in the first half of the season, Shrewsbury opted to terminate the loan arrangement.

As Real Madrid continue to navigate the complexities of squad building, their decision to pass on Virgil Van Dijk, as reported by Relevo, underscores a long-term vision that prioritises youth and adaptability over short-term fixes.

It was a strange occasion. Deportiva are a fifth-tier team hailing from Llano del Beal in southeast Spain, a town with a population of just 1,300 and a stadium so small the match was moved to Cartagena, and a stadium which accommodated 8,000 spectators – most of whom were madridistas.

Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti will make various changes to his usual starting line up when the defending Spanish and European champion takes on Deportiva Minera.