Real Madrid enters race to sign David Carmo

According to a report from Spanish publication AS, reigning La Liga champions Real Madrid have reportedly joined the race for David Carmo as they continue to chase a long-term replacement for Sergio Ramos.

The club is reportedly keeping tabs on the 21-year-old defender, who plies his trade for Portuguese outfit, Sporting Braga.

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has a good relationship with Braga chief Antonio Salvador which gives the Spanish champions an advantage should a transfer race fire up for Carmo.

The report also indicates that Liverpool, who were desperately seeking a stand-in for injured defender Virgil van Dijk, wanted Carmo to join them in January but could not agree on a fee for the loan or the potential permanent transfer fee which leaves him up for grabs with several clubs, including Madrid. The defender is contracted by the Portuguese club until 2025 and has a release clause of £36million.

Manchester United have also been tracking Carmo’s progress for a while. Manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer seems eager for a left-footed centre-back to bolster their defensive options. Sportsmail reported last year that a minimum of 10 other clubs were also ready to sign him.

Having joined their U-17 setup from Sanjoanense, Carmo has been with Braga since 2015. The centre-back gradually rose through the ranks at the club before making his team debut in January last year. Since then, he has made 40 appearances across all competitions, 21 of which have come in the ongoing campaign.

The budding star is a physical specimen, standing at 1.96, his rise to prominence at Braga over the past year has attracted plenty of interest from several clubs across Europe.