Nacho Fernandez is determined to stay and sign a new contract with La Liga champions Real Madrid despite Julen Lopetegui’s desire to reunite with the Spain international at Wolves, according to AS.
A remarkable tally of 19 trophies, including five Champions League winners’ medals, is still not enough to satisfy Nacho’s insatiable appetite for arguably football’s most iconic kit.
Only four players in Real Madrid’s rich history have spent their entire professional career with Los Blancos. Nacho, however, is determined to turn four into five; a man who joined the The fabric academy in 2001 before making his La Liga debut a decade later hoping to follow Chendo, Manuel Sanchis, Jose Antonio Camacho and a certain Santiago Bernabeu (yes, he is who you think he is) in real history books.
Nacho Fernandez dreams of a new contract with Real Madrid
According to AS, new Wolverhampton Wanderers coach Lopetegui wants to reunite with a defender he worked with during that short spell in Madrid and during his time with the Spanish national team. Serie A giants AC Milan and Roma are also keen.
The same goes for a number of MLS clubs, including David Beckham’s Inter Miami.
Nacho’s current contract expires next summer. The soon-to-be 33-year-old central defender is however ready to “do everything possible” to secure an extension. He and his family are happy in the Spanish capital.
Nacho has started just four games in all competitions for Real Madrid this season. He is also not part of Luis Enrique’s 26-man Spain squad for the Qatar World Cup. Life in the shadows is nothing new for Nacho, however; an old-school “team man” who is content to play a side role at his dream club.
And who said loyalty was dead in modern football?
According to Sport, Wolves’ Midland neighbors Aston Villa are also monitoring Nacho’s situation. Unai Emery, who is also targeting Pau Torres, tried to sign Nacho during his time at Villarreal.
The ball is of course in Real Madrid’s court. It’s up to the club to offer a new contract to Nacho. And, so far, they haven’t. But his loyalty, popularity and remarkable versatility surely make retaining one of the most reliable and inexperienced members of Ancelotti’s squad a no-brainer.
“(Eder) Militao and (David) Alaba are the best centre-backs. And that makes everything easier. Also Nacho, I love playing with him,” his Real team-mate Antonio Rudiger recently told AS.
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