Real Madrid News
Real Madrid lodge enquiry for €70 million-rated midfielder, Ancelotti appreciates him
According to Santi Aouna of Foot Mercato, Real Madrid have made an enquiry for Napoli midfielder Stanislav Lobotka.
The 28-year-old midfielder has been with the Serie A outfit since 2020 and has grown into an important player, especially over the past year or so under Luciano Spalletti.
Indeed, Lobotka has been a permanent presence in the centre of the park for the Partenopei as they charge for the Scudetto and sit atop the Serie A standings currently.
Lobotka recently renewed his contract with Napoli, committing himself to the Italian giants until the summer of 2027. In the midst of this, though, Real Madrid have lodged an enquiry with the Serie A outfit over the price point for the Slovakian international.
Real Madrid have their sights firmly fixed on Jude Bellingham to strengthen their midfield for the summer of 2023. While the Englishman is seen as a replacement for Luka Modric, Los Blancos could be looking at Lobotka as a possible reinforcement in the holding midfield role.
Aurelien Tchouameni is the only out-and-out defensive midfielder at Carlo Ancelotti’s disposal. While Toni Kroos has been deployed in the role on occasions, the German ace is yet to renew and even if he does, it will only likely be for a year.
So, Real Madrid remain keen on strengthening their midfield unit further and Lobotka has emerged as a possible target.
The reigning Spanish and European champions have made an enquiry for the Slovakian international already and as per the report, Napoli will demand a sum of around €60-70 million for their prized asset.
Shelling out such a large sum for Lobotka in the summer would seem unlikely especially if Real Madrid want to sign Bellingham as well, given that the latter could cost in excess of €100 million.
So, it will be interesting to see if Los Merengues decide to press ahead with their interest in Lobotka or look at other options.
The current edition of the Real Madrid squad is full of young talents, who have shown remarkable potential in recent years.
Arda Guler is among the young players looking to make a mark in European football in the years to come.
The young Turk joined Real Madrid earlier this summer, rejecting many other European giants in the process.
Toni Kroos mentoring Guler at Real Madrid
Guler has not enjoyed the best of starts to his life at Santiago Bernabeu, as he is spending a brief time on the sidelines due to an injury.
However, Guler has not stopped working on his characteristics, as he looks to kickstart his Real Madrid career on a positive note.
To that end, the former Fenerbahce starlet is receiving some key support from one of Real Madrid’s midfield pillars in the form of Toni Kroos.
This is according to MARCA, which suggests that the German international is mentoring Guler in his early days at Santiago Bernabeu.
Kroos: huge ‘sponsor’ of Guler
The report highlights how Toni Kroos is a huge admirer of Arda Guler. The German had even heaped praise on the youngster from Turkey when he joined the club earlier in the summer.
Guler, therefore, is closely training with Kroos, whose years of experience, composure, and knowledge of football, could help the youngster grow at Santiago Bernabeu.
This fits in well with Carlo Ancelotti’s vision at Real Madrid, as the Italian boss wants youngsters to have room to grow, especially with guidance from some of the older guards in the team.
It is one of the key reasons Real Madrid wanted to stick to Kroos and Luka Modric, despite bringing in Arda Guler and Jude Bellingham in the summer.
Guler, therefore, has the stage set for him to start his Real Madrid career on a strong note. After impressing in training, the next step for the youngster is to make a promising debut, which is just around the corner.
