Notes & Quotes: Zidane Says “Anything Can Happen” Before The Transfer Window Closes

Monday quote round-up is here. Today, we have some hints from Zidane about another summer signing, Mourinho on Sunday’s friendly, and more...

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Casemiro, in a playful tone, says Neymar “would be welcome” at Real Madrid...

"Why not come and play at Real Madrid? Here he would be welcome."

"I have not talked to Neymar lately, but I wish him well," he added.

"Neymar is a great player, I have great admiration for him. He knows what he does, he is well advised, his father is a great person and he knows what he is doing.

"If he leaves Barcelona I wish him all the luck in the world, and if he stays, then I do too.

"Neymar is very important for the selection of Brazil, we always have his good football."

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No real surprises, but Zidane, after professing a few days ago that Real Madrid are currently in a worse situation without Morata in the squad, didn’t rule out another signing before August 31st...

"I'm talking to the president. The staff. We have 28 here, and I'm happy with the job. Then we'll see what happens.

"Until August 31 anything can happen. I do not request anything."

On the team’s performance against Manchester United...

"Very happy for this match. The kids played 45 minutes and they did very well. Satisfied, there were no injuries.

"We competed well. They played four games before. It is positive. Now we have another match. Hopefully we will find the shape little by little."

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Cristiano Ronaldo, in an interview with ESPN which aired at half-time during Sunday’s Real Madrid - Manchester United friendly match, talked about what motivates him to stay at the top. He emphasized the importance of players like Higuain and Lewandowski — players he ‘fights’ with...

"To mention one [player] is hard, but the level that I am is like in other sports: Formula One, NBA...The best players always follow the best players," he told ESPN.

"They want to be in the top of the game because the other ones are there. You cannot rest, because the other ones will pass you.

"Of course we fight with everyone, with Neymar, with Messi, Lewandowski, Higuain, with the best players in the world. This is not 'fighting' but it's healthy. We fight to be the best.

"It's my motivation: to be better than them, year after year."

On what’s most important in life...

"I was with Peter Lim, the owner of Valencia, and he said to me: 'Cristiano, we have money, fame, everything. I have millions and billions. But the most important thing is family. Keep your family healthy, good. Take care of them'.

"You have your private life, your girlfriend, your cars, your houses, your fame, but in the beginning, your family is always with you, in good moments or bad moments."

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Jose Mourinho was asked about a potential Gareth Bale signing, in which Mourinho replied that it would be “mission impossible”. In turn, Bale’s response to Mourinho:

"There you go - I haven't said anything."

He added: "We go into every competition looking to win it and it's no different again this year.

"We have got the motivation to do that and will be trying our hardest to win every competition we enter."

On the loss against Manchester United on Sunday...

"It is just about getting the cobwebs out, getting some game time into us," he said.

"We would have loved to win but that's the way it goes."

On his conversation with Romelu Lukaku after the match...

"He's just signed so I just wished him good luck for the season," he said. "He's done very well in the Premier League and I am sure he will do great for them."

Full circle to Mourinho, who said Manu didn’t have motivation against Real’s younger players...

"Good training [for us]. It was a very good first half against a top Real side. I think we lost motivation to play against their young players. We lost intensity, we lost appetite. I think the boys who played in the second half, they were disappointed not to play against Real Madrid's best players and best team. The second half was not good but overall I am happy again."

On the bizarre penalty shootout...

"Yeah, three out of 10 [were scored]. But it's pre-season and to be honest, I didn't choose my best penalty-takers."

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Two of Morata’s Spanish teammates at Chelsea, Cesc Fabregas and Cesar Azpilicueta, welcome the former Real Madrid striker to Stamford Bridge...

"It is his first experience in the Premier League but he played in Italy, he played for Real Madrid, living with pressure his whole life as a striker," Azpilicueta said.

"He scored a lot of goals for the national team and in big competitions. He is going to bring his qualities and he can do very well.

"He is strong physically. He has good technique on the ball. He knows the manager. He knows the way we play. He will adapt quick and as a striker hopefully he will score many goals."

"I have always had a good understanding with him. He's always been a striker with a little bit of everything," Fabregas said.

"He has a lot of potential to improve, the same as Michy Batshuayi. It is up to them how far they want to go," he added.

"They are two young strikers who have to improve as quickly as possible because they are our main strikers.

"If you are going to fight for all competitions, you need your strikers to score lots of goals."

James and Ancelotti weigh in on the James move...

"Morata is an excellent player, with unique goalscoring skills," James said.

"I think it will be good for Chelsea to have someone like him.

"At Real Madrid, he did very good things and scored goals, even though he didn't play much.

"Chelsea made a great signing with him, I wish him all the best, and I hope he scores goals, that it is what he is used to doing."

"He is a fantastic striker and young too. Chelsea have a made a good signing," former Real Madrid and Chelsea boss Ancelotti added.

"He can help the team to be better. He is a complete striker. At Real Madrid, he played as a central striker, on the side sometimes and in all attacking positions.

"He is a really good signing. He can work a lot for the team also."

Morata, on his “destiny” to play for Conte again...

"I know Antonio wanted me in the past and I really want to work with Antonio, and finally destiny put us together," he told Chelsea’s official website official website. "I can't wait to play for him and for Chelsea and to win together.

"It was disappointing in 2014 when he went to Italy, but I played well and had a good year at Juventus, but I really want to work with this coach and finally I can.

"I know his work, the staff. I know it is a lot of tactics and I really like this game and I know how to play with this system.

"It is the perfect situation. I decided to play in the Premier League and I want to play in Antonio's team. Now I need to work hard, score goals and to play well for the team. There are very good players here and I think we can do something amazing this year."

"When I was little I saw Didier Drogba, Andriy Shevchenko, Fernando Torres and thought probably in a few years I will take this place, and now it is the dream to take the Chelsea number nine shirt. I can't wait to play at Stamford Bridge and in the Premier League," he said.

"It is hard to leave Madrid but it is not so hard when you come to a club like Chelsea, with these players and with this coach, and I think we can play against Real Madrid and Barcelona and win," he added.