Real Madrid want to keep hold of Eder Militao but the Brazilian defender is considering a summer transfer, Goal can confirm.
Madrid spent €50 million (£43m/$60m) to bring Militao to Santiago Bernabeu from Porto in the summer of 2019, but he has since struggled to live up to that hefty price tag.
The centre-half, who can also operate as a right-back or defensive midfielder, is still behind Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane in the squad pecking order after two seasons in the Spanish capital, and is now mulling over his options with the transfer window set to reopen in June.
Madrid's stance on Militao
The Blancos were sure enough about Militao's potential to hand him a bumper six-year contract upon his arrival at the Bernabeu.
The 23-year-old still has four years left to run on that agreement, and Goal has learned that Madrid remain confident that he will be a key player for the club in the future.
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The Spanish champions are aware that Militao is attracting interest from abroad, with Bayern Munich among those reportedly weighing up a swoop for his signature, and have moved to reassure him over his position at the club.
Madrid have also made it clear that, should Militao push for a transfer, they will only sanction his departure if they can recoup most of their initial investment with a view to finding a replacement quickly.
Militao's dilemma
Goal has learned that, although Militao has yet to completely give up on his ambitions with Madrid, he is worried that a lack of regular minutes could affect his chances of featuring for Brazil at the World Cup in 2022.
The former Porto star also wants to play for his country at this summer's Copa America, and would be prepared to join another team in order to make Tite's final squad for the upcoming tournaments.
Much could depend on the futures of Ramos and Varane, with Militao concerned that his situation at the Bernabeu will not change while the duo remain Zinedine Zidane's first-choice pairing at the back.
As it stands, Ramos will become a free agent at the end of June, while Varane has been linked with a move to the Premier League as he approaches the final 12 months of his contract.
Militao's record for Madrid
Militao has been restricted to just 30 appearances across all competitions for Madrid to date, and only has one goal to his name.
The Brazil international has featured in just 10 games so far in 2020-21, but has also been unavailable for a total of 11 matches due to a combination of injuries and a positive Covid-19 test.