Real Madrid News
Real Madrid among the clubs tracking Portuguese forward, Ancelotti likes him a lot
As AC Milan reach the semifinal of the UEFA Champions League for the first time in 17 years, Rafael Leao has had a big role to play.
With five assists in the competition, the Portuguese sensation has played a key role in Milan’s dream run in the competition. They are now threatening to reach the final as they meet Inter in the semifinals.
Unsurprisingly, Leao’s performances in Europe and in Italy have not gone unnoticed. According to AS, Real Madrid are one of the clubs keeping close tabs on the attacker, whose contract at Milan expires in 2024.
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti is said to like the Portuguese international a lot because of his speed, physical presence and goalscoring acumen.
Although Leao expressed his love for Milan soon after the Napoli tie, his future remains uncertain. Milan are trying to renew the contract of the Portuguese international, but there is a clear disparity between what the player wants and what the club are offering.
The most notable point of contention is the €150 million release clause that Milan wants to increase to €200 million. But Leao insists it should remain the same, knowing it will give his suitors the opportunity to snap him up at the end of the season.
To that end, Real Madrid are monitoring the situation. They have received good reports about the player and even though the club have multiple players in his positon, they have not ruled out a move for the attacker in the coming season.
Chelsea had come close to signing Leao not so long ago. The Blues had negotiated a transfer for the attacker in January, but the move did not materialise. But as they look ahead to the summer transfer window, the club may break the bank for the services of the Milan forward.
Several other Premier League clubs are also said to be interested. So, Real Madrid will not have it easy if they decide to act on their interest in Leao.
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.
