Real Madrid News
Real Madrid midfielder ‘one of the best’ along with De Bruyne, says South Korea manager
Real Madrid and Uruguay midfielder Federico Valverde is one of the best in the world along with Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne, according to South Korea national team manager Paulo Bento.
Valverde is enjoying a spectacular campaign with Real Madrid and is all set to play an important role for the Uruguayan national team at the FIFA World Cup when La Celeste begin their campaign tomorrow against South Korea.
And the Asian nation’s manager, Bento, has hailed Valverde, calling him one of the best in the game currently along with Manchester City superstar De Bruyne.
“Valverde is a fantastic player, with an extraordinary technical quality, with a physical dimension…. He can be considered with De Bruyne as one of the best midfielders,” Bento said in his press conference, as quoted by Mundo Deportivo.
“He has a great influence on the way Uruguay play and from midfield, he can solve a game. They are very strong collectively and individually,” he added.
Valverde has made a brilliant start to the 2022/23 season with Real Madrid, emerging as one of their best players for the champions of Spain and Europe.
In 20 matches across all competitions for Los Blancos this term, the 24-year-old has netted eight goals and set up four more for his teammates.
Be it playing in central midfield or on the right flank, Valverde has excelled under Carlo Ancelotti’s tutelage and will now hope to carry that form forward on the biggest stage of all at the World Cup.
Uruguay are drawn in Group H along with South Korea, Ghana, and Portugal, who will be led by former Real Madrid superstar and club legend Cristiano Ronaldo.
Along with veteran stars like Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani, Valverde will have an integral role to play if La Celeste are to progress further in the competition.
According to AS, Atletico Madrid have made the first approach for Celta Vigo midfielder Gabri Veiga, who has also been linked heavily with a move to Real Madrid and Arsenal.
The 20-year-old midfielder has emerged as one of the most exciting young prospects in Spanish football this season, having already netted nine goals in La Liga.
It has alerted a series of top-level clubs, with the likes of Real Madrid, Arsenal, Liverpool and Atletico Madrid all being linked with the youngster, who has a €40 million release clause in his contract with Celta.
Real Madrid are in the market for midfield reinforcements and have identified Jude Bellingham as their top target, but Veiga is also said to be on the agenda at the Santiago Bernabeu
However, recently, the Galician club’s president confirmed that there had been contact from clubs in England, but stated that Real Madrid had made no approach.
On top of that, a report from MARCA quoted a club source saying that they were not contemplating signing the 20-year-old.
Amidst this, it has now emerged that Atletico Madrid have made an approach towards signing Veiga from Celta Vigo in the summer transfer window.
The Rojiblancos are also in the market for new midfielders amid question marks over the futures of Saul Niguez and Geoffrey Kondogbia.
While Diego Simeone’s side have taken a first step, the report indicates that Veiga, in case of the absence of interest from Real Madrid, would prefer to join Arsenal.
So, the Colchoneros will need to put in efforts to convince the 20-year-old to choose them over a move to the Premier League club come summer if they are serious about adding the talented youngster to their roster for next season.
