Real Madrid News
Manchester United defender lauds Real Madrid summer arrival: “He is a complete player”
Speaking to the press ahead of France’s UEFA Nations League fixtures, Manchester United defender Raphael Varane has heaped praises on Real Madrid new signing Aurelien Tchouameni.
The former Real Madrid defensive mainstay, who left the club last year to join the Premier League giants, has hailed his compatriot, who joined Los Blancos this past summer in a deal worth around €100 million, for his quick adaptation.
Indeed, Tchouameni was thrown into the thick of things soon after his arrival as Real Madrid sold Casemiro to Manchester United. And the 22-year-old has taken up the mantle of replacing the Brazilian with ease, quickly becoming one of the best players on display at the Bernabeu.
Talking to the media (h/t MARCA), Varane praised Tchouameni saying: “First of all, I applaud the adaptation that he has had in a club like Real Madrid, I know to what extent it is difficult.”
Further waxing lyrical over the former AS Monaco midfielder, Varane added: “He is a complete player, who knows how to defend and has the ability to organize the game.
“He asks for the ball from the first match in the national team and is very mature for his age. What he does is incredible and I hope it stays that way.”
Tchouameni had other options during the summer, including Liverpool, but the midfielder rejected them in order to move to the Santiago Bernabeu. And, the club and his new teammates have been very pleased with the impact the youngster has had since arriving.
With Tchouameni, Eduardo Camavinga and Federico Valverde, Real Madrid’s midfield department looks sorted for the future.
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.
