Real Madrid News
Barcelona enter race for 22-year-old forward linked with Real Madrid – report
Feyenoord striker Santiago Gimenez has been making a lot of waves since joining the Dutch club in the summer of 2022.
Having helped his team to the Eredivisie title in his very first season in Europe, the 22-year-old has been in top form again this time out, already racking up 15 goals and three assists from 12 matches in all competitions.
Naturally, his performances have caught the eyes of several top clubs across Europe, with recent reports suggesting that Real Madrid were among his admirers.
Real Madrid, Tottenham in pole position
Indeed, during an interview earlier this month, Santiago Gimenez’s intermediary told Italian media that the 22-year-old was attracting interest from a whole host of clubs.
He also added that, as things stand, Real Madrid and Tottenham were the closest to signing him.
“We have already discussed with Atletico Madrid. We talked about him with Inter, Milan, Lazio, and Napoli, but for me, he could be perfect for both Inter and Juventus,” Morris Pagniello, Gimenez’s intermediary, said.
“Now the teams closest to him are Real Madrid and Tottenham,” he added.
Barcelona enter race
Now, though, SPORT is reporting that Real Madrid’s arch-rivals Barcelona have also entered the fray to sign Santiago Gimenez.
As per the report, the reigning La Liga champions are keeping tabs on the 22-year-old Mexican international as a potential option to reinforce the No. 9 position in the summer.
Even though the position is not seen as a priority at Can Barça due to the imminent arrival of Vitor Roque, sporting director Deco sees the Feyenoord ace as a market opportunity that the club should not miss out on.
If he continues in the same vein of form for the rest of the season, Gimenez seems set to secure a move away from Feyenoord to a big club next summer.
Whether it will be Real Madrid, Barcelona, or a different team altogether remains to be seen.
Real Madrid are back in the Champions League following their impressive win against Cadiz on the weekend as they host Napoli at the Santiago Bernabeu for gameweek five.
They have already secured qualification to the round of 16, and even a point today would secure first place in the group.
With several players still injured, Carlo Ancelotti has opted for his best available starting lineup, with Daniel Carvajal taking responsibility of the captain’s armband at right-back. He will be aided by Ferland Mendy, who starts on the other side.
Meanwhile, in between them, David Alaba returns to the fold as the starting centre-back, partnering Antonio Rudiger. This duo has the responsibility of screening Andriy Lunin, who continues in goal in Kepa and Thibaut Courtois’ absence.
With both Eduardo Camavinga and Aurelien Tchouameni out, Toni Kroos gets the chance to play as the holding midfielder for two games in a row. Federico Valverde retains his spot, as well, while Dani Ceballos comes in for the injured Luka Modric in central midfield.
Rodrygo will spearhead the team’s frontline as one of the two twin forwards, while Brahim Diaz gets the nod over Joselu. Jude Bellingham is the final, and arguably the most important piece of the puzzle, playing behind the front-two.
📋✅ Our starting 𝗫𝗜!
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) November 29, 2023
🆚 @en_sscnapoli #UCL pic.twitter.com/MarLb7TavA
Confirmed Madrid XI: Lunin; Carvajal, Rudiger, Alaba, Mendy; Valverde, Kroos, Ceballos; Bellingham; Diaz, Rodrygo
