Real Madrid News
Ancelotti would be ‘delighted’ with €60 million priced Napoli midfielder – report
Napoli have run riot so far in Serie A this season. With 21 games having been played so far in the Italian League, the Partenopei sit atop the standings with a gargantuan 56 points to their name. They have scored 51 goals in that duration and lost just one game.
The whole team has been operating at a very high level, and Victor Osimhen, Khvicha Khvaratskhelia and Stanislav Lobotka are some of the many names to have stood in the spotlight. According to reports from Fichajes, the third player is of interest to Real Madrid.
Los Blancos have a midfield signing as their top priority for the summer transfer window, especially given the uncertain futures of Luka Modric and Toni Kroos. The former’s renewal is not yet decided while the latter is contemplating retirement come June.
Jude Bellingham of Borussia Dortmund is Real Madrid’s top target, but the Merengues have fallen behind in his pursuit in recent weeks. Liverpool now seem to be in prime position to sign the England international, forcing Carlo Ancelotti to look at alternatives.
Lobotka enters the equation at this point, as one of Serie A’s experienced, established options. The report states that Ancelotti would be ‘delighted’ if the midfielder arrived at Real Madrid in the summer.
The 28-year-old is capable of playing both as a defensive and central midfielder based on the need and has the versatility that Ancelotti demands. Given that just over two years remain on his deal, the time to negotiate a transfer seems to be right.
In 21 games for Napoli this season, the midfielder has scored one goal and provided one assist. He averages 0.4 key passes and close to nine defensive actions per game.
Valued at €60 million by Napoli, it will be interesting to see if Real Madrid decide to make a play for his signing come summer.
There is no way back for Eden Hazard at Real Madrid. The Belgian international has not given the management any reason to have faith in his abilities over his past four seasons at the club and is unsurprisingly the most important departure for the Merengues in the summer.
Hazard has one more year on his contract in Madrid. However, it is clear that Carlo Ancelotti does not trust him and that any potential replacement manager in the summer will echo his stance.
According to reports from Mundo Deportivo, Fenerbahce are willing to go all out to sign Hazard this summer. The Turkish side have made the former Chelsea their prime target, yet face a steep task ahead of them.
The 32-year-old is hellbent on seeing out his contract with Los Blancos despite seeing his career sink right before his eyes. It thus becomes complicated for the party to lure away the forward, especially in a competition outside Europe’s top five leagues.
Fenerbahce attempted to sign the winger in the recently concluded winter transfer market. They reached an agreement with Real Madrid but failed to get over the line as they could not convince the player of the move.
The biggest obstacle for the Turkish side will be convincing Hazard to make the move by letting go of his lucrative contract in Madrid. The chances are slim, but not impossible.
Hazard has made just three league appearances and one start for Ancelotti’s side this season in La Liga, a steep fall from last season’s 18 and seven respectively.
His last appearance for the team came back in January when Real Madrid faced Cacereno in the Copa del Rey. In La Liga however, he last played in September 2022 in a 4-1 win over Mallorca.
