Real Madrid News
Al Hilal eye €100 million-rated Real Madrid forward as potential Neymar replacement
It is no secret that clubs from Saudi Arabia are tracking several Real Madrid superstars, with Vinicius Jr. being the most prominent name on their wishlist.
The likes of Antonio Rudiger, Luka Modric, and Thibaut Courtois are also generating interest from clubs in the Middle Eastern nation.
Now, it appears that another player from Real Madrid has emerged as a target for a team in the Saudi Pro League.
Rodrygo to replace Neymar at Al Hilal?
Indeed, according to journalist Rudy Galetti, Al Hilal have set their sights on Real Madrid attacker Rodrygo Goes as a potential option to replace Neymar at the end of the season.
The Brazilian superstar is out of contract this summer and is unlikely to continue with the Saudi Arabian club.
As such, Al Hilal have been busy devising strategies and identifying potential targets to replace the former Barcelona and PSG forward.
Liverpool megastar Mohamed Salah, whose contract expires at the end of the season, is a leading candidate. But Al Hilal have now also added Rodrygo to their wishlist, aiming to capitalise on the 24-year-old’s somewhat reduced prominence this season.
Rodrygo has featured in 24 games for Real Madrid this term, managing a return of seven goals and four assists only.
The Brazilian has only started 12 La Liga matches and two UEFA Champions League games, and is often seen as the sacrificial lamb when manager Carlo Ancelotti opts to go into matches with two forwards and four midfielders.
As such, there have been murmurs of frustration and discontent, with several clubs following the forward’s situation. Al Hilal, too, have now emerged as a potential suitor for Rodrygo for the summer.
It is unlikely that Real Madrid will open the doors for Rodrygo’s exit by themselves unless the player asks to leave. Even in that scenario, it will likely take a big fee for the Merengues to part ways with the attacker, whose contract runs until 2028.
*Player valuation in title obtained from transfermarkt.com on date of publication.
Real Madrid opted to renew Antonio Rudiger’s contract this past summer to keep him at the club for one more season.
The 33-year-old veteran defender, though, has not been performing at his best, with physical problems taking their toll and age starting to catch up with him.
As such, the expectation is that Los Blancos will not extend his contract again when his current one expires on 30 June 2027.
Tottenham eye Antonio Rudiger
And, according to reports relayed by AS, Premier League giants Tottenham Hotspur are plotting a free-transfer swoop to sign Rudiger in the summer of next year.
The north London club are understood to be keen on reinforcing their backline next year and see the German defender as an option, given his experience in the Premier League and the fact that he would be available for free in the summer.
So far this season, Rudiger has played only five games for Real Madrid, amounting to a total of 396 minutes.
The 33-year-old has even chipped in with two goals, including the all-important winner in the 4-3 comeback victory over AS Roma on Wednesday night.
Time to move on?
Despite Rudiger being a hugely respected figure in the Real Madrid locker room, he is currently the third-choice centre-back for Jose Mourinho.
After all, summer signing Ibrahima Konate and Dean Huijsen have been preferred by the manager so far in the new season.
Moreover, with Eder Militao set to return imminently after a lengthy injury layoff, Rudiger’s game-time could be impacted further.
Given the situation and factoring in Real Madrid’s plans to sign another centre-back next summer, it is pretty much evident that Rudiger does not feature in the club’s plans for beyond this season.
As such, a separation of ways seems pretty likely when his contract expires, and Tottenham are now positioning themselves as early suitors to sign Rudiger as a free agent in 2027.
