Real Madrid News
Chelsea £120 million-rated superstar wants to reunite with Cucurella at Real Madrid
Real Madrid have been moving at a rate of knots since appointing Jose Mourinho as their new manager, wrapping up the free-agent signings of Ibrahima Konate and Denzel Dumfries.
Los Blancos have also gone ahead and signed Marc Cucurella from Chelsea, but it looks like they might shop for one more player from the Blues squad.
One name that has re-emerged as a midfield option for Real Madrid is Enzo Fernandez. The Argentinian midfielder is among the names the club are considering for that position.
Now, according to journalist Ben Jacobs, Enzo wants to join Cucurella at Real Madrid and has made no secret of his desire to leave Chelsea.
The Premier League club, however, remain calm and will only consider a sale if their valuation is met, with Chelsea demanding £120 million.
Real Madrid still deciding midfield profile
The key detail in this operation is that Real Madrid are yet to decide what kind of midfielder they want to sign, and Enzo is just one of the names on the shortlist.
Mateus Fernandes and Rodri are also on the table as Madrid evaluate different profiles for Jose Mourinho’s squad.
Enzo offers intensity, passing range, personality and World Cup-winning experience, but he would be a very expensive operation.
Rodri would bring elite control and defensive authority, while Mateus Fernandes may represent a younger and potentially more flexible option.
Enzo’s desire could matter
Player preference can be important in major transfers, and Enzo pushing for a move to Madrid could go a long way towards Chelsea considering selling him as the window moves on.
Still, desire alone will not bring Enzo to the Bernabeu. Chelsea have him under contract long term and are under no pressure to sell unless the money is right.
Enzo has the quality and character to fit at the club, but at £120 million, this deal would be expensive even for a club of Real Madrid’s stature.
Mourinho would also have to finalise the profile of midfielder he wants to sign, and it remains to be seen whether Madrid make an effort to sign the 25-year-old this summer.
Real Madrid News
Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr. admits finishing problem after another frustrating night vs Elche: ‘Can’t miss that much’
Vinicius Jr.’s difficult start in front of goal continued against Elche, and the Real Madrid forward did not need anyone to tell him he had missed another chance to make the difference.
The Brazilian finished the night without a goal despite having chances to get on the scoresheet, while his teammates could only watch from the bench as opportunities went begging.
Jose Mourinho had already identified the problem before kick-off, bluntly pointing to the issue facing his forward, stating, “He’s missing the goal.”
Vini offered an equally frank assessment afterwards.
Rather than hide from another frustrating evening, he accepted responsibility on social media: “The goals will come back; I can’t miss that much…”
Two chances, no finish for Vinicius
Vinicius had two particularly clear openings against Elche, but neither produced the finish Real Madrid needed from their star forward.
The first arrived when he found himself one-on-one with the opposition goalkeeper.
Instead of finding the net, Vinicius caught the ball with the tip of his foot and sent his effort wide. Arda Guler was available during the move and called for the ball, but Vini backed himself to finish the chance.
He had another opportunity after the interval, this time following an excellent pass from Guler during a quick Real Madrid transition. Again, though, Vinicius could not find the target.
His evening ended in the 68th minute, with Mourinho deciding the Brazilian was tired and turning his attention towards Sunday’s Atletico Madrid derby.
Mourinho has a bigger decision to make
The numbers show why Vinicius’ finishing has become a talking point. He managed five shots against Elche, but only one was on target and none found the net.
After seven appearances this season, the Brazilian has scored just once, which is a striking return for a player Real Madrid rely upon to provide a major share of their attacking threat.
Ultimately, though, Real Madrid found another route to victory, with Arda Guler, Kylian Mbappe and Carlos Espi providing the goals in the 3-2 comeback.
