Real Madrid News
Bundesliga midfield ace dreams of Real Madrid or Chelsea move
After arriving from Toulouse in 2021, Kouadio Kone has been one of the finds of the Bundesliga, having established himself as a first-team regular at Borussia Monchengladbach.
This season, in particular, Kone has played a central role in Daniel Farke’s system, featuring in 22 league matches. His aggression, dynamism and ability to move forward with the ball have made him an essential figure in Gladbach’s second line of press.
Kone’s combination with Christoph Kramer has also added a perfect balance in Gladbach midfield, thus helping the German team avoid a deep plunge into the wrong side of the league table, despite a poor start to the campaign.
In light of his good performances, though, there is rising scrutiny over Kone’s future at Gladbach. According to Christian Falk, the midfielder already harbours the dream of joining Real Madrid or Chelsea in the near future.
While it does not indicate that Kone may leave Gladbach at the end of the season, it is enough to suggest the player’s desire to join Los Blancos in the long run.
Real Madrid themselves might require a major midfield overhaul sooner rather than later. This is because two of their veteran stars Luka Modric and Toni Kroos are in the final stage of their respective careers, and even if they pen new deals, they are not expected to continue beyond 2024.
It is one of the reasons why Real Madrid are willing to play the waiting game in pursuit of Jude Bellingham. And given Kone’s current situation at Gladbach, the Whites may fancy making a move in 2024 as well.
The Frenchman, in fact, could be an interesting, cost-effective alternative for Bellingham, as he boasts similar skillset. However, the player must maintain his solid form in the Bundesliga, if he wants to be considered as an option for Real Madrid in the near futre.
Real Madrid News
Real Madrid, Barcelona, Liverpool monitoring 19-year-old Bundesliga wonderkid – Romano
According to Fabrizio Romano, Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Liverpool are all monitoring Bayer Leverkusen and Germany wonderkid Florian Wirtz.
After recovering from his ACL injury, the teenage sensation has been slowly working his way back to his best form. So far this term, Wirtz has managed to rack up a tally of two goals and six assists from 13 matches in all competitions.
The 19-year-old’s talent and potential have never been in question and hence it does not come as a surprise that elite clubs such as Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Liverpool are all keeping tabs on the German international.
A versatile attacking midfielder, Wirtz is capable of playing anywhere in the final third of the pitch and backs up with top-notch end product. Be it as a false-nine or in a more withdrawn role, the youngster has excelled for Bayer Leverkusen, catching the attention of top teams.
Real Madrid, for their part, are also understood to be among Wirtz’s admirers. Given the situation surrounding Karim Benzema’s fitness and the lack of backup at the top, the youngster could be an option, as he has shown potential while operating through the middle.
But Barcelona also have a strong interest in the teenager with reports even suggesting that they have already made contact with his father to enquire about his situation.
At the same time, Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp is understood to be a huge admirer of his fellow German and with Roberto Firmino on his way out, Wirtz could be lined up as a possible replacement.
However, Romano adds that the expectation is that Wirtz could stay at Bayer Leverkusen for one more year and depart Germany once the UEFA Euro 2024 is out of the way.
For now, there have been talks or negotiations with any clubs, but Real Madrid, Barcelona and Liverpool are all tracking Wirtz and his progress in Germany.
