Real Madrid News
Liverpool target ‘dreams’ of playing for Real Madrid, admires club legend Zidane
Over the past few years, Juni Calafat has been the mastermind behind most of Real Madrid’s market acquisitions, including Rodrygo, Vinicius Jr and more recently, Endrick.
It appears Calafat has now set his sights on Jude Bellingham, with a report from Santi Aouna claiming that the Real Madrid chief scout met with the player’s father, Mark Bellingham, on Tuesday.
The two had an appointment at the Chelsea Harbour Hotel and stayed the night there, sparking rumours of a potential discussion regarding Bellingham’s summer switch to Santiago Bernabeu.
Santi Aouna further claims that Bellingham dreams of someday playing for Real Madrid. He is a huge admirer of Zinedine Zidane. The French legend had even invited his father to his box, during the 2022 UEFA Champions League final between Real Madrid and Liverpool.
Aouna’s claims serve as a major boost for Real Madrid fans, who have been harbouring the dream of seeing Bellingham donning the white shirt from next season.
It is no secret that the club itself rate the Englishman highly and consider him as a potential long-term replacement for Luka Modric, who is running on his last legs and will not continue for long. The same can be said for Toni Kroos, who has been flirting with the idea of early retirement.
The addition of Bellingham, to that end, could prove to be vital for Real Madrid as they look to undergo a major transition in the midfield department.
However, the signing of Bellingham should not be taken for granted, as far as Real Madrid are concerned. Borussia Dortmund, for one, have no intention to sell the midfielder on a cut-price deal this coming summer, with many sources estimating a price tag of around €150 million.
On top of that, Bellingham is also being pursued ardently by Liverpool, who are intent on signing the 19-year-old. Premier League champions Manchester City are also said to be interested in the England star.
Real Madrid will also be wary of the futures of Kroos and Modric, and might find it prudent to make a move for the young Englishman in 2024 when he could be available at a cheaper price tag.
Before he was hired by Bayern Munich as the direct replacement for Julian Nagelsmann, Thomas Tuchel was closely linked with a move to Real Madrid at the end of the season.
The German tactician had kept a close eye on the development at Santiago Bernabeu, especially with coach Carlo Ancelotti facing immense pressure following the club’s poor performances in domestic competitions.
A recent report from Jorge Picon has offered more details on the Tuchel saga, suggesting that the coach was even learning Spanish during his time at Ibiza, anticipating a potential move to Real Madrid at the end of the season.
There were even contacts made between Tuchel’s entourage and Real Madrid. Although the talks were positive, the two sides were not able to reach an agreement.
Real Madrid did not guarantee him the job. They had informed Tuchel that Ancelotti may continue at the Bernabeu in the event the club win the UEFA Champions League this season.
This bit of uncertainty played a critical role in convincing Tuchel to join Bayern Munich instead. The former Chelsea boss was hired as a direct replacement for Nagelsmann, who was sacked after a poor season in the Bundesliga by the club’s high standards.
However, Tuchel’s move to Bayern appears to be a missed opportunity on the German’s part, as Real Madrid have recently intensified their search for a new manager.
It is clear that the club’s hierarchy is yet to reach a consensus over the future of Ancelotti, with some believing that a change is necessary come the end of the season. In fact, the club’s president Florentino Perez has been an admirer of Tuchel’s compatriot Nagelsmann.
The coaching prodigy is one of the candidates to replace Ancelotti in the summer, though it is Mauricio Pochettion who is reportedly leading the race so far.
Jurgen
March 9, 2023 at 6:22 pm
That’s funny because in the English tabloids his dream is to play for Liverpool and Steven Gerrard is his idol. Which one is it? Don’t get your hopes up Madrid he’s Liverpool bound. Unlucky.