Real Madrid News
Real Madrid having doubts about 27-year-old star’s attacking ability and form – report
Marcelo’s departure from Real Madrid left a void that was seemingly impossible to fill. A young talent from France stepped forward and took the burden of sealing that gap, but with every passing week, it becomes clearer that it is not Ferland Mendy’s cup of tea.
Truth be told, the left-back has not done much wrong. He has been solid defensively for Los Blancos throughout his spell in Madrid but just lacks the X-factor going forward which is a necessity for any fullback at Real Madrid.
According to reports from ABC (h/t Madrid Xtra), Real Madrid are now having serious second thoughts on Ferland Mendy. They are unsure about not only his attacking ability but his overall form this season.
Earlier this week, it was reported that Los Blancos were eyeing Alphonso Davies of Bayern Munich as a possible recruitment for 2024 to help solidify the position. However, a move for him seems unlikely as Die Roten will not sell him.
At the same time, Real Madrid are also considering re-signing Fran Garcia from Rayo Vallecano following his impressive showing in La Liga over the past year.
As for Mendy, he has played 11 La Liga games for Real Madrid this season and has provided just one assist in that period. Further, he averages merely one key pass per game.
He was not called up to the French National Team for the FIFA World Cup in Qatar last month, and it is clear that his stocks have gone down.
While manager Carlo Ancelotti trusts him, the Frenchman will have to up his game immediately post the restart of club football to convince everyone behind the scenes that he can continue to be Real Madrid’s first-choice left-back for years to come.
Real Madrid News
Real Madrid, Barcelona, Liverpool monitoring 19-year-old Bundesliga wonderkid – Romano
According to Fabrizio Romano, Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Liverpool are all monitoring Bayer Leverkusen and Germany wonderkid Florian Wirtz.
After recovering from his ACL injury, the teenage sensation has been slowly working his way back to his best form. So far this term, Wirtz has managed to rack up a tally of two goals and six assists from 13 matches in all competitions.
The 19-year-old’s talent and potential have never been in question and hence it does not come as a surprise that elite clubs such as Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Liverpool are all keeping tabs on the German international.
A versatile attacking midfielder, Wirtz is capable of playing anywhere in the final third of the pitch and backs up with top-notch end product. Be it as a false-nine or in a more withdrawn role, the youngster has excelled for Bayer Leverkusen, catching the attention of top teams.
Real Madrid, for their part, are also understood to be among Wirtz’s admirers. Given the situation surrounding Karim Benzema’s fitness and the lack of backup at the top, the youngster could be an option, as he has shown potential while operating through the middle.
But Barcelona also have a strong interest in the teenager with reports even suggesting that they have already made contact with his father to enquire about his situation.
At the same time, Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp is understood to be a huge admirer of his fellow German and with Roberto Firmino on his way out, Wirtz could be lined up as a possible replacement.
However, Romano adds that the expectation is that Wirtz could stay at Bayer Leverkusen for one more year and depart Germany once the UEFA Euro 2024 is out of the way.
For now, there have been talks or negotiations with any clubs, but Real Madrid, Barcelona and Liverpool are all tracking Wirtz and his progress in Germany.
