Real Madrid players have been told there will be no new signings this summer because of the financial impact of Covid-19, according to reports.
Despite beating Barcelona to the LaLiga title in July, the club’s 2019-2020 season ended in disappointment after they were knocked out of the Champions League last-16 by Manchester City.
And Marca report that club director Jose Angel Sanchez told Zinedine Zidane and his players they will not be able to add to their squad despite their early European exit.
The Spanish outlet claims Sanchez assembled the group together after their defeat at the Etihad and explained the financial strain caused by coronavirus means there will be no new signings this summer.
Sanchez also told the players he was happy with their achievements in the previous campaign despite the disappointing result in Manchester.
He also confirmed on-loan Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Alphonse Areola would be returning to France with the club unable to sign him on a permanent basis.
Club president Florentino Perez previously insisted there would be no major signings for the Spanish champions, telling El Transistor: ‘The situation is really bad. It’s hard to ask the players to take a pay cut to help deal with it and then make signings.
‘That can wait. Madrid will sign the best again when the situation changes.’
Real are not the only club feeling the financial burden of the pandemic with Barcelona hoping to raise funds for transfers by selling players.
Any arrivals at the Bernabeu will be in the form of players returning from loan spells, including Martin Odegaard, Andriy Lunin and Dani Ceballos, who spent the last season with Arsenal.
Sanchez also reportedly told the players to be responsible during their summer break, which is due to end on August 30.
The 2020-2021 LaLiga season is set to start on September 12, the same weekend the Premier League will begin its new campaign.
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