Real Madrid News
Ancelotti working with the idea that Real Madrid will not sign a new No. 9 – report
According to reports from Jorge C Picon (h/t Madrid Xtra), Carlo Ancelotti has resigned to the idea that Real Madrid will make no further operations for a No. 9. He is not happy about the situation but is working to find a solution with the existing core of players.
Earlier this summer, the centre-forward position was said to be on top of Los Blancos’ priority list after Karim Benzema’s departure. Having lost arguably the best striker in the world, the board was willing to go all out and provide the manager with a world-class backup.
The men in white were linked with Harry Kane, Victor Osimhen, and Dusan Vlahovic among others, as they searched far and wide for a new striker. All that materialised, however, was the signing of Joselu.
While it is true that Ancelotti requires a new quality striker, the management aborted the mission keeping in mind the possible arrival of Kylian Mbappe. More than the financial aspect, it boiled down to the question of overlapping roles between a star signing this summer and the French phenom.
It is unclear if Mbappe will join forces with Ancelotti this summer. If the youngster postpones his arrival to 2024, the Italian tactician will be with only Vinicius Jr, Joselu and Rodrygo Goes in the final third. It would thus be better for the coach to prepare for the worst.
Reports earlier this week revealed the various combinations the manager has in mind ahead of the new season. Three formations are strong candidates to feature as the mainstay in 2023-24 – a 4-3-3, 4-4-2 diamond, or a 4-2-3-1.
Ancelotti has also experimented with Bellingham playing as a false-nine in training sessions so far in the United States. If a new striker does not arrive, that could be a real option for the manager.
Aurelien Tchouameni has had an exciting start to his career at Real Madrid. Since joining the club for almost €80 million last summer, the young Frenchman has now become a pivotal figure in Real Madrid’s midfield unit.
However, prior to his move to Santiago Bernabeu, the midfielder was closely linked with a move to Paris Saint-Germain.
In a recent interview, Tchouameni opened up on his links to PSG but revealed his decision to join Real Madrid.
Aurelien Tchouameni on PSG links
Talking about speculations linking him to PSG, Tchouameni said (h/t Madrid Zone), “PSG? Frankly, I thought about it. It’s a very big European club, we want the French clubs to succeed.”
“But honestly, when Real Madrid calls you, it’s very complicated to say no,” Tchouameni added.
The midfielder was linked with a move to PSG during his time at AS Monaco. Les Parisiens wanted to sign the youngster as part of their plans to reinforce the midfield unit.
Tchouameni, though, ended up opting for a move to Real Madrid, which turned out to be a prudent decision from the midfielder’s end.
Tchouameni’s career at Real Madrid
Aurelien Tchouameni made a total of 50 competitive appearances during his maiden season at Real Madrid.
Although the Frenchman was not entirely a first-team regular in Carlo Ancelotti’s setup, his stature in the team is expected to grow in the coming years.
Especially as Toni Kroos and Luka Modric move on at the end of the season, there is scope for Tchouameni to become a first-team regular in the Real Madrid midfield in the years to come.
The former AS Monaco starlet has already played a crucial role in the starting eleven so far this season and it is only going to continue as the season progresses.
