Tom Hopkinson of the Sunday People has reported that contract talks between Portuguese defender Pepe and Real Madrid have halted, leaving Chelsea and Manchester City on alert.
Pepe has just one year left on his contract, and will be available on a free transfer should any clubs approach him next January. Awhile back when Carlo Ancelotti was Real Madrid boss, there had been talks over a two year extension to Pepe’s stay in the Spanish capital. Apparently though, the appointing of Rafa Benitez has cast a cloud of doubt over whether the Portuguese is in his plans or not. Benitez reportedly has his mind set on letting young prodigy Raphael Varane establish himself in the heart of Los Blancos’ defence, and wants to see how that turns out before offering Pepe a new contract.
Both Chelsea and Manchester City, two of the Premier League’s giants, may be interested in making a move for the controversial defender after evaluating his contract situation. The smart move would be to wait and maybe acquire his services for free. However, if either club plans on bidding for Pepe this summer, Real Madrid will be demanding £10.5 million for their player.
