Raul and Guti set to leave Real Madrid?
Sunday, July 11, 2010
According to some reports Raul and Jose Maria Gutierrez 'Guti' will not begin pre-season under the direction of new coach Jose Mourinho, as the club has given the players permission to return to the Spanish capital on July 26 to inform the club as to their plans with respect to next season.
The two players will then have to make the choice of staying with Madrid or seeking another team as they enter the twilight of their careers, according to Marca. Both players struggled with injuries last season and saw limited playing time, although Guti saw an improvement in form in the last few months of the campaign.
Mourinho also met with Raul on the Special One's first day in Madrid, reportedly discussing his limited role in the team, and proposing El Capitan fulfil a dressing room role similar to the role Marco Materazzi filled for Mourinho during his time at Inter.
Madrid's position with respect to both players is to facilitate their exits, should the players wish them, and to honour both captains with exits before the Santiago Bernabeu crowd.
As for possible destinations, Raul, who spent the first days of his vacation in New York, reportedly has received offers from the New York Red Bulls and has garnered interest from the Los Angeles Galaxy. European teams who have taken an interest in the Blancos' leading goalscorer are Bundesliga side Schalke 04 and English Premier League outfits Blackburn Rovers and Manchester United.
Guti has also received offers to move to Turkey to play for either Galatasaray and Besiktas and has also been tied to clubs such as Olympiacos, Blackburn and Zenit St. Petersburg. |
