AS had already reported that Real Madrid were considering selling one or both of the Uruguayan midfielder and the French international following the incident at Valdebebas last week — the second confrontation between the pair in 24 hours — which left Valverde hospitalised with a head injury requiring stitches and resulted in both players being fined €500,000 each.
Álvarez de Mon went further, reporting that it is not only the club's board that has soured on Valverde but influential members of the playing squad itself who are pushing for his departure. The specific players are not named, but the implication is that the incident has hardened pre-existing divisions in a dressing room that had already split around the time of Xabi Alonso's dismissal.
Valverde, 27, contributed nine goals and 13 assists across 48 competitive appearances this season — by some distance the most productive campaign of his Real Madrid career. He is contracted until June 2029 with no release clause, meaning any sale would require Madrid to set a price and wait for it to be met.
His market value sits at around €70-80million based on recent estimates, though the personal controversy surrounding the Valdebebas incidents may complicate any negotiation. Clubs considering a bid would need to assess whether the character questions raised by the episode represent a structural problem or an isolated one.
Tchouaméni's future is less certain in a different sense — he has a longer contract and is younger, but the same incident cloud hangs over him. Real Madrid have said nothing officially about either player's future beyond confirming the fine and closing the formal disciplinary process.
Real Madrid face Celta Vigo, Villarreal and Sevilla in their three remaining La Liga matches. They are second, eleven points behind champions Barcelona. Whatever decisions are made this summer will shape the identity of a club in urgent need of rebuilding.