Real Madrid News
Real Madrid midfielder on his way to ‘becoming the best’ claims ex-Premier League star
Speaking on BT Sport (h/t Daily Mail), former Chelsea, Liverpool and West Ham United winger Joe Cole has claimed that Federico Valverde is on his way to becoming the best midfielder in the world.
Valverde is enjoying a sensational start to the 2022/23 season and has emerged as one of the most important players in Carlo Ancelotti’s side.
The 24-year-old has always brought energy and tenacity to the field but has added the element of goals to his game this season and has been making valuable contributions in the final third of the pitch.
Valverde was once again on target on Wednesday as Real Madrid thrashed Celtic 5-1 in the UEFA Champions League. The Uruguayan international was named the man of the match for his all-round showing on the night.
And Joe Cole has claimed that Valverde is certainly on the way to the top, having had time to learn from the best of the best like Luka Modric, Casemiro and Toni Kroos over the past years, while also comparing him with Real Madrid target Jude Bellingham.
“He’s standing right at the top of the tree with Bellingham in the young players, and he’s on the verge of becoming the best,” Cole said.
“He’s found it tough getting into Casemiro, Kroos, and Modric, they’ve been incredible. He’s had to wait, bide his time and learn from the greats, take a little bit from everyone’s game.”
Highlighting what Valverde brings to the table, Cole added: “He’s box-to-box, he scores goals, he’s a technician he was the unsung hero in the final, I thought he was outstanding against Liverpool.
“He drove that team forward, he’s a powerful boy, took his goal lovely, and he’s one that I earmarked about two years ago.”
“His stats this year are unbelievable, his goals, assists, goal involvements, incredible player and we talk a lot about Bellingham in this country, but this kid is every bit as good as Bellingham,” the former Premier League and England star further added.
Valverde has been truly remarkable in the ongoing campaign, be it as a central midfielder or in an unnatural right-wing position. The 24-year-old has already scored eight goals and set up four more in 18 matches in all competitions and more of the same will be expected from him.
Before he was hired by Bayern Munich as the direct replacement for Julian Nagelsmann, Thomas Tuchel was closely linked with a move to Real Madrid at the end of the season.
The German tactician had kept a close eye on the development at Santiago Bernabeu, especially with coach Carlo Ancelotti facing immense pressure following the club’s poor performances in domestic competitions.
A recent report from Jorge Picon has offered more details on the Tuchel saga, suggesting that the coach was even learning Spanish during his time at Ibiza, anticipating a potential move to Real Madrid at the end of the season.
There were even contacts made between Tuchel’s entourage and Real Madrid. Although the talks were positive, the two sides were not able to reach an agreement.
Real Madrid did not guarantee him the job. They had informed Tuchel that Ancelotti may continue at the Bernabeu in the event the club win the UEFA Champions League this season.
This bit of uncertainty played a critical role in convincing Tuchel to join Bayern Munich instead. The former Chelsea boss was hired as a direct replacement for Nagelsmann, who was sacked after a poor season in the Bundesliga by the club’s high standards.
However, Tuchel’s move to Bayern appears to be a missed opportunity on the German’s part, as Real Madrid have recently intensified their search for a new manager.
It is clear that the club’s hierarchy is yet to reach a consensus over the future of Ancelotti, with some believing that a change is necessary come the end of the season. In fact, the club’s president Florentino Perez has been an admirer of Tuchel’s compatriot Nagelsmann.
The coaching prodigy is one of the candidates to replace Ancelotti in the summer, though it is Mauricio Pochettion who is reportedly leading the race so far.
