Real Madrid midfielder and Liverpool target Asier Illarramendi has suffered a muscle tear in training that has ruled him out for Los Blancos' upcoming friendlies.
Illarramendi suffered the injury prior to last week’s clash between Real Madrid and Manchester City in Australia, which ruled him out of the friendly encounter against the Citizens.
And a subsequent MRI scan conducted on Monday has revealed that he has suffered from a muscle tear.
The Basque midfielder has been linked with a move to Brendan Rodgers’ Premier League outfit Liverpool, although he has stayed put at the Santiago Bernabeu thus far.
Illarramendi transferred to Real Madrid in the summer of 2013 from Real Sociedad, and was billed as a long-term replacement for then Los Blancos’ midfield linchpin Xabi Alonso.
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Although Alonso has since moved to Bayern Munich and Sami Khedira – another player who plays the same position as Illarramendi – suffered a long-term injury, Illarramendi found it hard to break into the first team with regularity.
During his two seasons at the Santiago Bernabeu, the midfielder has made only 25 league starts, fuelling talk of a move away from the Spanish capital with Liverpool talked up as the leading side to land him.
This season, Illarramendi is again set to encounter fierce competition at Real Madrid, with Casemiro and winter transfer window arrival Lucas Silva in contention for a first team spot.
