Real Madrid transfer news LIVE: Barcelona plot to spoil £178m Chelsea deal; Man Utd talks

Real Madrid transfer news LIVE updates: All the latest from the Bernabeu

Tuesday, 24 July

A rather cunning plan…

Real Madrid’s transfer plans to sign Eden Hazard could be dealt a huge blow thanks to a cunning plan by Barcelona.

According to Spanish publication OK Diario, Chelsea are not willing to negotiate over the Belgian’s departure unless a fee of €200m (£178m) is put on the table.

Madrid are keen to get their stated price down but ‘interest’ from Barcelona could, instead, see them having to pay more than Chelsea’s asking price.

Barcelona have been linked with a move for the 27-year-old in recent weeks but have baulked at Chelsea’s valuation.

OK Diario claim Barca’s hierarchy are well aware they will be unable to prise Hazard away from west London this summer and are now only pursuing him to make life difficult for their rivals.

In the battle for La Liga next season, Barca know Madrid are struggling to replace talisman Ronaldo, and the chance to stop them getting Hazard is proving to good an opportunity to miss out on.

Talks underway

Manchester United are in talks with Chelsea and Real Madrid over transfers after Jose Mourinho admitted he wanted two more signings.

That’s according to the Manchester Evening News, who claim the Red Devils are in talks with both Real Madrid and Chelsea over Gareth Bale and Willian.

Bale was earmarked as a priority signing at the start of the summer after hinting at a Bernabeu exit in May, but there’s a feeling he will stay at Real Madrid in the wake of Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure.

The MEN say United are also in talks over Chelsea’s Willian.

Willian is the subject of interest from Barcelona with the Catalan giants having three bids snubbed so far.

The latest of those was £65million but, with Chelsea holding firm, they appear set to look elsewhere.

Barcelona have instead turned their attentions to Malcom, who is set to join from Ligue 1 giants Bordeaux, and that could benefit United in their bid to sign Willian.

La Liga fixtures announced

The 2018-19 La Liga fixtures have been officially announced, with Atletico Madrid, who finished third last year, travelling to Valencia in the pick of the opening day’s games.

Champions Barcelona will host Basque outfit Alaves, while Real Madrid have a home tie against Getafe when the season kicks off on the weekend of August. 18-19.

Following public comments from La Liga chief Javier Tebas, who said it was “not ideal” for the second El Clasico meeting between Real and Barca last season to be played with the latter having already won the league title, the two sides will face off earlier this campaign.

The two giants will first meet in the Catalan capital on the weekend of Oct. 27-28, following both sides’ involvement in the third Champions League group game. Meanwhile, the Bernabeu fixture will be held on the first weekend of March.

Real host local foes Atletico at the end of September in the seventh match of the season, travelling across the city for the second meeting of the season on the weekend of Feb. 9-10.