Real Madrid News
Real Madrid among the clubs interested in Croatian international
Josko Gvardiol has become one of the most sought-after defenders in Europe, especially since his move to RB Leipzig. He was even a top performer for Croatia during the 2022 FIFA World Cup, helping the 2018 runners-up attain a third-place finish in the competition.
Gvardiol impressed the onlookers with his disciplined performances at the back, along with his versatility. The defender, after all, can operate at left-back and is known for his technical prowess.
The 20-year-old’s performances have not gone unnoticed, with multiple European clubs eyeing a move for the RB Leipzig starlet.
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano (h/t Madrid Xtra) has offered an update on the future of Gvardiol. He suggests that there have already been contacts with clubs from Spain for the services of the Croatian international.
This comes as a rather curious as Real Madrid are believed to be one of the clubs involved in the race to sign Gvardiol. The youngster has been targeted as part of the club’s plan to reinforce the defensive unit, especially in the midst of uncertainty around the future of Nacho Fernandez.
Not to mention, Los Blancos are without a proper alternative at left-back for Ferland Mendy, who himself has become a subject of interest for other clubs and may leave Santiago Bernabeu at the end of the season.
To that end, Gvardiol can be an excellent option as the Croatian prodigy can operate as a centre-back as well as a left-back. And at just 20, he could become an ideal long-term asset for the Spanish giants, as they look to build a solid base in the defensive department.
Luring Gvardiol away from Leipzig, though, will be a costly affair considering the youngster had joined the Bundesliga giants only in the summer of 2021.
Marco Asensio is fighting for his future at Real Madrid. The 27-year-old winger is out of contract at the end of the season and there is no concrete decision made by the club over his renewal as of yet.
Some reports had suggested that the club had tabled an offer worth €4 million per year, which the Spaniard did not like as he sought a higher pay packet closer to around €6 million-a-year.
With his future a subject of intense speculation, Asensio had been linked with a move away to Premier League clubs such as Arsenal and Liverpool.
Meanwhile, closer to home, there were strong links to Real Madrid’s arch-rivals Barcelona. Indeed, the Catalans have been touted as potential suitors for Asensio for quite some time now due to the fact that he is represented by Jorge Mendes.
The superagent has close ties with Barcelona president Joan Laporta and reports in Spain have suggested that the Real Madrid winger has, indeed, been offered to the current La Liga leaders.
Amidst these speculations, however, Asensio has seemingly made it clear as to where his heart lies as he awaits a decision on his future.
During last night’s El Clasico against Barcelona, the Real Madrid winger came on as a substitute and went on to score a goal, following which he celebrated at Camp Nou, pointing to the Real Madrid logo on his shirt, showing where his allegiances lie.
The goal, however, was disallowed by the VAR, and Los Blancos ended up losing the game 2-1 thanks to a stoppage-time winner by Franck Kessie.
Earlier today, Asensio took to Instagram and posted a picture of him celebrating with his finger pointing to the Real Madrid logo, reiterating his commitment to the club amidst the links to Barcelona.
As for his disallowed goal, it sparked an angry reaction from Carlo Ancelotti, who questioned the legitimacy of the decision made by the VAR during his post-match press conference.
