De Zerbi Puts Foot Down: Porro Staying Put as Real Madrid Circle

Real Madrid are in the market for a right-back this summer, and they've set their sights firmly on Tottenham's Pedro Porro. But there's a problem for the Bernabéu outfit: the Lilywhites aren't budging.

Both Madrid and Spurs endured forgettable campaigns last season. The Spanish giants experienced an unusual trophyless campaign, while Tottenham came perilously close to the unthinkable—a relegation scrap. Salvation arrived in the form of Roberto De Zerbi's mid-season appointment, the Italian tactician steadying the ship when things looked bleakest.

Now, as both clubs plot their summer overhauls, De Zerbi has made his position abundantly clear regarding Porro. The manager views the right-back as absolutely integral to his Tottenham reconstruction project and has no intention of letting him leave, regardless of Real Madrid's advances or the interest from other quarters.

According to transfer insider Fabrizio Romano, Spurs are actively closing the door on a Porro departure. De Zerbi sees him as one of the crucial building blocks for getting Tottenham back on track, and the club's hierarchy is backing that assessment fully. The matter, it seems, is settled from a Tottenham perspective.

Tottenham's summer plans are shaping up ambitiously regardless. Andy Robertson and Marcos Senesi will arrive on free transfers, while a potentially record-breaking deal for Manchester City's Savinho is reportedly progressing. Yet keeping Porro appears to be just as important as bringing fresh faces through the door.

Real Madrid won't be left empty-handed in their right-back hunt. Ivan Fresneda at Sporting CP and Inter Milan's Denzel Dumfries are also on their radar as alternatives. Liverpool have been linked with both players too, though with Arne Slot's departure from Anfield, a move to Merseyside appears unlikely for either option.