Real Madrid News
Real Madrid have been trying to offload out-of-favour duo for the last four windows
With the summer transfer window only a few months away, Real Madrid are formulating their plans and strategies to improve their squad before the next season starts.
One position that has emerged as a concern for Real Madrid ahead of the summer is the centre-forward slot. Los Blancos have no natural backup for Karim Benzema in the squad currently and it has hurt them, with the Frenchman having had multiple injury problems.
The Athletic is reporting that Real Madrid will thus make a signing in the summer to reinforce the No. 9 slot and are studying various options with different profiles as possible targets.
The Merengues do have Mariano Diaz as a potential backup for Benzema on the roster, while Carlo Ancelotti has also experimented with Eden Hazard and Rodrygo Goes as options through the middle.
Among the three, however, the latter two are completely out of favour and are set to be shipped out in the summer.
Indeed, as per the report, Real Madrid have made attempts to offload Mariano and Hazard in the last four transfer windows without any success.
Mariano’s current contract with the club expires at the end of the season and the Spanish champions have no interest in renewing him, even though the striker wants to continue at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The former Olympique Lyon ace has played just 45 minutes this season, indicating how Ancelotti does not see him as part of the plans.
Meanwhile, Hazard has played just in seven matches and even though his contract expires in 2024, the Belgian is receptive to an exit at the end of the season, having struggled to live up to expectations in Real Madrid.
Having tried to part ways with the out-of-favour attacking duo for the past four windows, Real Madrid might be finally successful to get rid of Mariano and Hazard in the summer.
But, at the same time, Ancelotti & co. must reinforce their options adequately in the next window.
According to a recent report from Fabrizio Romano (h/t Madrid Xtra), there is nothing concrete at the moment between Harry Kane and Real Madrid. The two parties have not held any talks and a potential transfer is distant.
Los Blancos’ admiration of the English striker is not a novel development for the Spanish giants have been monitoring his situation for a couple of seasons now.
Tottenham’s high financial demands coupled with Karim Benzema’s breathtaking form kept Kane’s pursuit out of sight, but the situation has now changed.
Real Madrid’s French striker may be the current Ballon d’Or holder but he has struggled to recreate his form this season. His subpar performances and age force the club to look for a new face and Kane is unsurprisingly back in the mix.
The England captain has a contract with Spurs that runs until 2024 and he has not agreed on a new deal with the Premier League side. His dire drought for trophies at the club level could force him to move to greener pastures and there is a long line of suitors awaiting his availability.
Manchester United and Bayern Munich both, like Real Madrid, are in need of a new centre-forward and thus join the Merengues in Kane’s pursuit.
The 29-year-old striker has started 28 Premier League games for Antonio Conte’s side this season, scoring a whopping 21 goals and providing two assists in the process. The fact that his goal tally came off a relatively low xG of 15.6 shows Kane’s effectiveness in front of the goal.
Karim Benzema is likely to renew for another season, but the summer could see the Galacticos go all out for a big-name striker. Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland are some of the other names considered, though it is clear that neither of them would arrive cheap.
