Real Madrid News
Real Madrid admire former Spurs coach’s philosophy, have discussed him internally
Of all the candidates that were considered viable options to replace Carlo Ancelotti in the summer, Julian Nagelsmann and Zinedine Zidane appeared best placed in recent weeks. However, Fabrizio Romano (h/t The Madrid Zone) reports an update on the situation that changes the equation.
According to the Italian journalist, Real Madrid admire Mauricio Pochettino and see him as a serious contender to arrive in the summer. The administration are impressed with the Argentine’s style, philosophy, and management of press conferences and have discussed his name internally.
Pochettino is no stranger to La Liga as he began his senior managerial career at Espanyol in 2009. After three years and 161 games in charge, he moved to Southampton in the Premier League for one season.
Tottenham Hotspur snapped him up in 2014 and thus began the coach’s most important spell. He oversaw close to 300 games over five seasons for Spurs and won over 160 games in that duration.
He last managed Paris Saint-Germain and averaged over two points per game in his nineteen-month spell in France. He was sacked in July last year and has not returned to coaching ever since.
Pochettino was linked with a move to Real Madrid even during his spell in Paris, and it is clear that the club have been interested in him for a while now. Last year, he spoke openly about his confidence that the chance to sign for Real Madrid would arrive again and it appears that the gods have heard his wishes.
“Football is ‘timing’. These are the times for it to coincide and for that marriage to happen. Sometimes it’s just a matter of time. I don’t think the trains will pass only once. I think that sometimes you have to have the necessary patience and you have to know how to wait,” he said.
The Argentine’s ready availability makes him a tempting option for the Real Madrid administration who are already admirers of his ideology. The only question that remains is whether Carlo Ancelotti can do enough to save his job at Santiago Bernabeu or faces the sack.
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.
