Real Madrid News
Chelsea in pole position to land €60 million-rated Real Madrid target
In a stunning series of developments, Chelsea have moved into pole position in the race to sign RB Leipzig sensation Christopher Nkunku, who is also on the radars of Real Madrid.
The French international has been brilliant since moving to the Bundesliga in 2019 and enjoyed the best season of his career to date last time out, finishing with a whopping 35 goals and 20 assists from 52 games in all competitions.
The 24-year-old has been in fine form this season as well, having already bagged 12 goals and two assists in 20 matches. Naturally, Nkunku’s exploits have attracted a lot of interest from top clubs across Europe.
Real Madrid have been keeping tabs on the former PSG wonderkid for a while now, but Chelsea have now taken the lead in the race to sign the versatile attacking midfielder, who can play anywhere across the frontline.
Indeed, as reported by Foot Mercato, Nkunku has already completed the first part of his medical to join Chelsea in 2023, with talks now ongoing between the Blues and Leipzig, while the Premier League giants will also start negotiations over personal terms soon.
Nkunku has a release clause worth €60 million in his contract, which is more than affordable for Chelsea. However, despite the recent developments, Real Madrid are still believed to be in the mix for the 24-year-old as they are still following his situation.
Given that the Frenchman can play in midfield or in attack, he has the potential to be a good addition at the Santiago Bernabeu. And the €60 million release clause is well within the reach of the Spanish and European champions.
However, with Chelsea making serious headway in the race to sign Nkunku, it remains to be seen if Real Madrid are able to claw their way back in or decide to pursue other targets, with Jude Bellingham also high on the club’s agenda.
Real Madrid are looking towards a heavy splurge in the coming summer transfer window. After all, they do not even have another option given the sheer number of player departures already finalized.
Los Blancos have lost the services of Karim Benzema, Marco Asensio, Mariano Diaz, and Eden Hazard over the past week. While three of the four players predominantly featured on the bench, their presence in the squad gave Carlo Ancelotti’s side much-needed depth and a cushion of sorts.
The forward unit is, thus, the most prioritized department ahead of the transfer window. However, pieces are beginning to fall apart on other fronts and could potentially put the club in a difficult situation.
According to reports from Gianluca Di Marzio, Juventus are eyeing Lucas Vazquez and hope to sign him in the coming month. Contacts between the two parties have begun and the transfer fee discussed appears to be around the €6 million to €8 million ballpark given that he has just one year left on his contract.
The player, for his part, is willing to sign for the Italian giants given his relative lack of minutes at the Santiago Bernabeu. At 31 years of age, he understandably does not want to play a second-fiddle role.
Vasquez played part in 23 of Real Madrid’s 38 La Liga games last season, starting only on 12 occasions. Even in his few appearances, he averaged a mere 50 minutes per game.
The veteran completed the season with four goals and an assist to his name. Further, he averaged five defensive actions and a key pass in every game and feels hard done by his limited role.
Vazquez’s departure would place the club in a tricky situation as it would leave Real Madrid with only Dani Carvajal as a natural right-back option. Nacho Fernandez could, in theory, serve as the backup but a new signing for the position cannot be ruled out.
