Real Madrid News
Real Madrid midfielder out of Copa del Rey final due to thigh discomfort, tests tomorrow
As Real Madrid get set to take on CA Osasuna in the finals of the Copa del Rey, they have been dealt with a fresh injury blow. Dani Ceballos has been ruled out of the match at Estadio de La Cartuja due to discomfort in his right thigh.
This claim comes from Miguel Angel Diaz of COPE, who reports that the 26-year-old Real Madrid midfielder will undergo tests tomorrow to determine the extent of his injury.
This development comes as a blow for Real Madrid as Ceballos’ availability would have also come in handy for tonight’s final, especially considering that Luka Modric has only recently returned from injury and is not starting against Osasuna.
With the crucial UEFA Champions League semi-final first leg against Manchester City coming up three days later, it remains to be seen if Ceballos is able to make himself available for that contest.
Ceballos has grown into an important squad player for Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid, making vital contributions, especially in the second half of the season.
The Spanish international has played in 40 games across all competitions for the Merengues, notching up one goal and eight assists.
With important fixtures coming up, Ancelotti & co. will be hoping that Ceballos’ injury is not serious and that he is able to make a swift return to action.
Real Madrid have two of the world’s brightest prospects on their wings. Vinicius Jr has already made his name as one of the generation’s best talents on the left wing while Rodrygo Goes is not far from doing the same on the other flank.
However, the duo no longer have a central striker to complement them for the season to come. With both Karim Benzema and Mariano Diaz no longer in the squad, there Merengues have no options left to fill the number nine vacancy.
Harry Kane has quickly emerged as Real Madrid and Carlo Ancelotti’s favourite option to fill the void. However, reports earlier in the week claimed that Tottenham Hotspurs manager Daniel Levy wished to keep the striker in London and even quoted a €115 million price tag.
According to reports from MARCA, Los Blancos are preparing an opening offer worth €80 million for the English striker. Needless to say, the bid is not too far off from the Premier League side’s asking price.
Negotiations are expected to progress swiftly in the coming week. Given that not too much separates the two parties, one can expect Florentino Perez to come up with creative ways to bridge the gap.
Despite the relatively steep price tag, Real Madrid are in an advantageous position for two reasons.
For starters, Kane wishes to represent the club’s crest and reports even claim it is the only team for which he would leave the Premier League. Secondly, Daniel Levy does not wish to sell the player to direct competition in the Premier League, indirectly favouring the Merengues.
The 29-year-old has been Tottenham’s centre-piece since 2013 and has racked up goals for fun year after year. In the recently concluded season of the Premier League, he scored 30 goals and provided three assists in 38 appearances in addition to creating 14 big chances.
