Real Madrid News
National team manager backs Real Madrid superstar for Ballon d’Or award
Every year around September, the world begins its usual debate of who should win the coveted Ballon d’Or. With two to three contenders having a solid claim every year, the decision is far from unanimous.
However, there is not much noise around the contenders for the award presented by France Football presented this season, the reason for it being that there is a clear favourite to take it home, in the form of Real Madrid superstar Karim Benzema.
France international team manager Didier Deschamps was asked earlier this week whether Benzema deserved to win the Ballon d’Or this year. As quoted by RMC Sport, he responded,
“Benzema winning Ballon d’Or? He deserves it, I hope he wins it.”
The French striker had an unreal run across all competitions last season and led Real Madrid’s campaign both domestically and in Europe. He found the back of the net a whopping 44 times last season and provided 14 assists in the process.
Earlier this year, he was named ‘The Best Men’s player’ by UEFA for his otherworldly performance and consistency last season. Now, he is clearly the favourite to pick up the Ballon d’Or too.
Benzema’s start to the 2022-23 season has not been ideal. The Frenchman was injured in Real Madrid’s game against Celtic and has missed the team’s last three matches.
It was expected that Real Madrid would struggle without the talisman’s services. However, being the winning machine that they are, Los Blancos have found alternative sources for goals in recent games. Vinicius Jr, Rodrygo and Federico Valverde, in particular, have stepped on the gas and made up for Benzema’s absence.
Nevertheless, Carlo Ancelotti will hope to have the striker’s services back soon, especially with a hectic October coming up.
Real Madrid News
Real Madrid weighing up January move for €70 million-rated Arsenal midfielder – report
Real Madrid’s midfield is the one department where Jose Mourinho sees clear scope for improvement, especially given that the club did not sanction his wish for a top midfield signing in the summer.
While Bernardo Silva has chipped in as a handy option to feature in the deep midfield, the club still lacks a controlling and creative option who can glue the team together.
In that sense, there is a clear lacuna that Real Madrid need to address and Defensa Central brings to light that the club have opened up to a potential target.
Zubimendi emerges as a target
Indeed, the player in question is Arsenal’s Martin Zubimendi who the club have seen as a target for a long time, and Real Madrid could even go on to sign him in January.
The Spanish international has not started off the new season well under Mikel Arteta and has primarily featured as a substitute. He does, thus, see a move to Madrid with good eyes in every sense.
Real Madrid, for their part, have not ruled out his signing as was reported in recent months and there is even a chance they seriously pursue him in the winter transfer window as a mid-season fix.
The possible fee
The Spanish outlet also add that Zubimendi’s move to Real Madrid could be completed for a fee similar to what Arsenal paid for the player for his transfer from Real Sociedad – €70 million.
Mourinho’s insistence on making a new midfield signing is no secret, and with a clear target now in mind, the board could well back him with the player he wishes.
Notably, however, even Chelsea are seriously interested in his signing.
So far, Federico Valverde has been Real Madrid’s mainstay in midfield, and Aurelien Tchouameni’s return will change the team’s dynamics in the department.
Neither player, however, offers the control and distribution skill set that the team direly lack.
A big part of whether or not the club pushes for Zubimendi, however, will depend on how the Valverde-Tchouameni combination plays out in the coming months. It is, after all, the manager’s first-choice combination for big games.
