Real Madrid News
Florentino Perez receives backing from another Real Madrid icon in presidential race
Former Real Madrid star Gareth Bale has publicly declared his support for Florentino Perez ahead of the club’s presidential election, becoming the latest high-profile figure to back the long-serving president.
With Real Madrid members preparing to vote on Sunday, June 7, Perez continues to receive endorsements from some of the biggest names associated with the club’s modern success.
Bale has now added his voice to that list, making his position clear at a crucial stage of the campaign.
The Welshman enjoyed one of the most successful spells of his career under Perez and remains one of the most recognisable players from the president’s Galáctico era.
Another name to the growing list
Bale’s support became public through a social media post in which he appeared alongside Perez.
Accompanying the image was a short but powerful message that left little room for interpretation. Sharing the photo, Bale included the caption, “The Best.”
The former Real Madrid forward is not the only club icon to publicly show appreciation for Perez in recent days.
Other legendary figures associated with the club’s recent golden era, including Luka Modric and Karim Benzema, have also expressed support for the current president as the election approaches.
A successful Perez signing
Meanwhile, Bale’s backing carries particular significance given the history between the two men.
It was Perez who led one of the most ambitious transfer operations in the club’s history to bring the Welsh international to the Santiago Bernabeu in the summer of 2013.
At the time, the deal was regarded as one of the biggest and most complicated transfers in world football. Perez viewed Bale as a cornerstone of his project and was determined to bring him to Madrid.
That decision would ultimately prove to be one of the defining moves of his presidency, as Bale’s time at Real Madrid produced countless memorable moments.
The former forward scored 106 goals for the club and won three La Liga titles and five Champions League crowns among other trophies.
According to TeamTalk, Real Madrid have joined the growing list of clubs monitoring Gabriel Rajkovic, a 15-year-old winger whose rapid development at Valerenga has already attracted attention from several of Europe’s leading sides.
The Merengues are known for keeping an eye on exciting young talent across the globe and it seems that Rajkovic’s exploits in Norway, with the first team, have alerted them.
Real Madrid keeping tabs on Rajkovic
As per the report, Real Madrid are among a host of clubs closely following the progress of the young forward.
Rajkovic holds both Norwegian and Serbian nationality and has emerged as one of the most promising young players in Norway.
His development has not gone unnoticed, with Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund also understood to be monitoring him.
However, at this point, it is Arsenal and Chelsea, who are understood to be leading the charge for Rajkovic, having compiled a detailed dossier on the teenage prodigy after extensive scouting.
On top of that, the likes of Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur have all watched Rajkovic in recent weeks.
Real Madrid could therefore face significant competition if they decide to step up their interest in a player who has already made an impression at senior level.
Making an impact at just 15
Rajkovic was handed a promotion to the Valerenga first-team squad in January earlier this year, when he was only 14 years old.
Following that, he signed a new contract with the club in March, when he turned 15, committing to the club until 2028.
Despite being only 15, the winger has already begun gaining experience in first-team football. In all, he has made 14 senior appearances for the Norwegian outfit, scoring three and assisting one goal.
Rajkovic has also represented Norway Under-16s, making two appearances and scoring once despite being younger than many of his teammates.
Those numbers become more impressive when his age and stage of development are taken into account.
Real Madrid have built a reputation for identifying young talent well before players reach their peak, and Rajkovic has now emerged as another name on their scouting radar.
But given the number of clubs in the race, signing the teenage wonderkid will not be easy.
