Real Madrid are suffering something of a crisis in central defence currently, but they have tried to get rid of one of their few remaining options in the position. Now 27 years of age, former promise Jesus Vallejo was offered the chance to leave on a free.

Vallejo spent last season on loan at Granada, but was largely unused or injured during his time back at Nuevo Los Carmenes. Returning this preseason to Real Madrid, he has again suffered from muscle issues, keeping him out for the first few games of the season – it is believed he is back to fitness, with Eder Militao, David Alaba, Jacobo Ramon and Joan Martinez all out against Real Sociedad.

His chief competition will be a potential return to fitness of Aurelien Tchouameni, youngster Raul Asencio or Dani Carvajal. Carlo Ancelotti has already let Vallejo know that he is not part of his plans though, as Relevo revealed. In the final weeks of the transfer market, Los Blancos offered to pay out the final year of his deal, but Vallejo decided to stay instead.

It looks as if Vallejo is keen to live out the final year of his deal at the Santiago Bernabeu though, albeit with almost no hope of a new deal, and very little chance of seeing much game time. Costing Real Madrid €5m from Real Zaragoza, Vallejo will have been at the club for a total of a decade next summer, including loan spells at Wolves, Eintracht Frankfurt, Albacete and Granada twice.