Real Madrid News
Real Madrid aware they need to sign a striker, but no player attracts them – report
Real Madrid’s 0-4 defeat at the hands of Manchester City in the UEFA Champions League semi-final second leg exposed their shortcomings.
Carlo Ancelotti’s men were far from convincing and it can be understood by the fact that they attempted a mere seven shots, out of which only three were on target.
Last year, in the same round, the story was entirely different. Back then, veteran forward Karim Benzema chipped in with three goals across both legs to assert his dominance.
But this year, the Frenchman looked far from his usual self. And this is the reason why Madrid are exploring the market to sign an out-and-out No. 9 who can seamlessly replace Benzema in the team.
In that context, Onda Cero (h/t Madrid Xtra) has claimed that Real Madrid are well aware of the problem at hand. They understand they need to sign a forward for the next season but the issue is, no player on the market attracts them.
One might argue about Erling Haaland, but it must be noted that while the Manchester City forward is indeed on Madrid’s agenda, his acquisition is planned for the summer of 2024 when a certain clause gets activated in his contract.
Until then, Real Madrid will have to find a way mostly because Benzema is not getting any younger and he has also struggled with fitness this season. In his absence, Rodrygo has led the charge as false 9, but the manager just cannot afford to spend the entirety of the season like this.
Furthermore, Kylian Mbappe is another option the team might consider, but it must be noted that if Paris Saint-Germain lose both Lionel Messi and Neymar in the summer, there is absolutely no chance that they will allow the French forward to leave.
All this leaves Real Madrid in a rather difficult state as they simply cannot continue to rely solely on Benzema for another season.
Real Madrid News
English legend backs Real Madrid star to become one of the all-time greats: ‘He’s got everything’
Jude Bellingham has spent the past fortnight as the most talked-about footballer in England, and the superlatives show no sign of slowing down.
A masterclass in the Nations League, a clutch of records and a second straight Player of the Year award has not gone unnoticed in English footballing media.
Now one of the English game’s most respected voices has added his name to the growing list of believers.
Lineker backs Bellingham
Asked whether Bellingham can go on to become one of the greatest players of all time, England legend Gary Lineker left no room for doubt.
“Yes, I’ve been saying it for a long time now. If he avoids serious injury or falls of the rails which he won’t I’m sure.
“He’s so good at football, he’s got everything. He’s a superstar and carries himself like a superstar,” he said (h/t Track Radio).
The verdict chimes comes in the midst of a wider chorus of acclaim in recent days. Roy Keane tipped him to become one of the greatest of all time after the Croatia rout, with Ian Wright and Micah Richards among others queuing up to praise him.
Backed by the numbers
The acclaim for Bellingham comes on the back of an extraordinary international break for Bellingham.
Against Croatia, Bellingham scored one and created three in the 7-0 win, becoming the first England player to record four goal involvements in a single game since David Platt in 1993.
He finished the window with one goal and four assists and was named UEFA’s Player of the Round.
That international excellence has carried over to the Bernabeu, where he has settled into a free number 10 role under Jose Mourinho and sits as the club’s joint-leading creator.
Bellingham was part of Real Madrid’s recent 1-0 win over Villarreal as well, and was unlucky not to register an assist when Vinicius Jr.’s goal was disallowed.
The Englishman will be looking to make an impact once again when Real Madrid take on AS Roma this Wednesday.
