Real Madrid News
Real Madrid set sights on €81.6 million Serie A striker
According to ESPN, Real Madrid have set their sights on a possible move for Juventus and Serbia striker Dusan Vlahovic as they look for attacking reinforcements.
Real Madrid went into the 2022/23 campaign with just Karim Benzema and Mariano Diaz as their two natural centre-forwards, having parted ways with the likes of Luka Jovic, Borja Mayoral, and Juanmi Latasa.
With Benzema struggling with injuries this term, Los Blancos’ decision to not sign a new striker after missing out on Kylian Mbappe has come back to haunt them.
Furthermore, Benzema is 35 and has his contract expiring this summer. While it is believed that he has already signed a one-year deal, the Frenchman will still be 36 in ten months’ time and will eventually need to be replaced.
Endrick has been signed from Palmeiras, but he will only arrive in the summer of 2024. Hence, Los Blancos intend to sign a new forward to reinforce their attacking unit ahead of the next season.
And, ESPN is reporting that Dusan Vlahovic has emerged as an option for the reigning champions of Spain and Europe.
The Serbian completed a massive €81 million move to Juventus in January last year from Fiorentina, but has failed to make the kind of splash expected of him.
It has not helped the forward that the Bianconeri are going through a period of unstability from top to bottom within the club.
The fact that they were docked 15 points in Serie A this season due to financial irregularities means that a Champions League berth might not be possible next term, which could lead to an exodus of players.
Real Madrid have thus set their sights on Vlahovic, having received good reports on the Serbian international from his time in Fiorentina.
The 23-year-old has scored nine goals and set up three more in 19 appearances this season and has netted ten times in 19 games for the Serbian national team.
Vlahovic is contracted with Juventus until 2026. However, he is not the only option on Real Madrid’s radar, with the Merengues also keeping tabs on Richarlison of Tottenham Hotspur – a player that Carlo Ancelotti is familiar with from his time at Everton.
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.
