Real Madrid News
Real Madrid monitoring another midfielder as Plan B if Bellingham does not join – report
Jude Bellingham is a top priority for Real Madrid heading into the summer transfer window. The 19-year-old Borussia Dortmund midfielder is one of the most sought-after players in the market, with the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City also gunning for his signature.
Real Madrid are looking to refresh their options in midfield as Luka Modric and Toni Kroos are entering the final phase of their careers. Furthermore, there are concerns that the latter might end up retiring at the end of the ongoing campaign.
Dani Ceballos, who has been in top form of late, also sees his contract expire in five months. Considering the delicate situation, Los Blancos will need to reinforce their midfield department in the summer.
Bellingham has been identified as the top target, with Real Madrid making huge plans for three mega signings for the summer.
However, given that there is intense competition from Liverpool and Man City, it would bode well for the Merengues to keep their options open.
And, according to Tomas Gonzalez-Martin, Real Madrid are monitoring another midfielder as a Plan B in case they are unable to sign Bellingham from Borussia Dortmund. However, the identity of this player has not been revealed by the journalist.
Los Blancos had been previously linked with Enzo Fernandez as a possible backup option if they missed out on Bellingham’s capture. But the Argentine is no longer on the table as he joined Chelsea in the recently-concluded January transfer window.
So, it will certainly be interesting to see who Real Madrid are keeping tabs on as a possible Plan B. Previously, names such as Manuel Locatelli of Juventus, Nicolo Barella of inter Milan, and Leicester City’s Youri Tielemans have all been mentioned as targets.
What is clear for now is that Bellingham remains the top target for Real Madrid heading into the summer.
There is no way back for Eden Hazard at Real Madrid. The Belgian international has not given the management any reason to have faith in his abilities over his past four seasons at the club and is unsurprisingly the most important departure for the Merengues in the summer.
Hazard has one more year on his contract in Madrid. However, it is clear that Carlo Ancelotti does not trust him and that any potential replacement manager in the summer will echo his stance.
According to reports from Mundo Deportivo, Fenerbahce are willing to go all out to sign Hazard this summer. The Turkish side have made the former Chelsea their prime target, yet face a steep task ahead of them.
The 32-year-old is hellbent on seeing out his contract with Los Blancos despite seeing his career sink right before his eyes. It thus becomes complicated for the party to lure away the forward, especially in a competition outside Europe’s top five leagues.
Fenerbahce attempted to sign the winger in the recently concluded winter transfer market. They reached an agreement with Real Madrid but failed to get over the line as they could not convince the player of the move.
The biggest obstacle for the Turkish side will be convincing Hazard to make the move by letting go of his lucrative contract in Madrid. The chances are slim, but not impossible.
Hazard has made just three league appearances and one start for Ancelotti’s side this season in La Liga, a steep fall from last season’s 18 and seven respectively.
His last appearance for the team came back in January when Real Madrid faced Cacereno in the Copa del Rey. In La Liga however, he last played in September 2022 in a 4-1 win over Mallorca.
