Real Madrid News
Real Madrid shift focus to Espanyol striker as Tottenham request €100m+ for Kane
According to AS, Real Madrid are no longer prioritising a move for Tottenham Hotspur superstar and England captain Harry Kane to bolster their attacking unit this summer. Instead, the club will look at Espanyol’s Joselu as an option to reinforce the No. 9 spot.
With Karim Benzema departing for Al Ittihad and Mariano Diaz also leaving, Real Madrid are left with no natural striker in their ranks.
And Kane had been identified as the ideal man to replace the now-departed club captain at the Santiago Bernabeu. The 29-year-old England ace has just one year left on his contract at Tottenham and is said to be keen on moving on to a new chapter in his career.
Los Blancos appeared to be at the front of the queue to sign Kane. However, there seems to have been a change in plans over the past 24 hours or so as Tottenham’s demands of £100 million (€116 million) are being deemed excessive by the Spanish capital club.
Such a huge transfer fee, plus annual wages of around €20 million would take the cost of signing quite high and make his amortisation difficult, especially given that Kane is touching 30.
As such, he is said to be no longer on the club’s shortlist and instead a move for Joselu is being lined up. The 33-year-old will be available for a much cheaper price following Espanyol’s relegation from La Liga and could be a short-term fix before Real Madrid can go for Kylian Mbappe or Erling Haaland in 2024.
Joselu enjoyed a solid 2022/23 campaign, scoring 17 goals in all competitions despite Espanyol’s relegation. And while he can be a good signing for Real Madrid, going into the campaign with him and the inexperienced Alvaro Rodriguez could be a move fraught with risk.
The Merengues need to sign a top-quality replacement for Benzema and cannot postpone it for next year when they may or may not be able to sign Mbappe or Haaland. As such, abandoning Kane’s pursuit might not be the most prudent move on the club’s part.
Real Madrid News
Mourinho considering starting 23-year-old Real Madrid ace against Villarreal – report
After impressing during the international break, Eduardo Camavinga has a major opportunity to establish himself in Real Madrid’s midfield rotation.
Indeed, according to Defensa Central, Jose Mourinho is considering starting the Frenchman against Villarreal, with injuries and doubts over several players limiting his options.
Real Madrid cannot afford to drop points against Villarreal if they want to remain in the title race. However, Mourinho has issues to deal with in the squad, which could lead him to turn to Camavinga for a crucial role.
Camavinga could replace Tchouameni in midfield
The 23-year-old star could line up as the defensive midfielder in the double pivot, with Bernardo Silva or Arda Guler alongside him, and will be tasked with providing balance in midfield.
Real Madrid face Villarreal with several problems in central defence. Ibrahima Konate is expected to be a late call, leading Mourinho to consider moving Aurelien Tchouameni into defence alongside Antonio Rudiger.
Meanwhile, Federico Valverde could also struggle to be ready after the ankle injury he sustained in the derby before the international break.
The Uruguayan has continued to work individually away from the group and might return to group training tomorrow. Even then, his readiness to start remains in question.
That would leave a place open in midfield, with Camavinga in line to fill in.
Camavinga impressed during the international break
Camavinga has started only one match this season, the defeat against Real Betis.
Despite his limited opportunities, Mourinho is keen to bring the Frenchman back into the fold after he impressed for France during the international break.
Zinedine Zidane called the Real Madrid star up for his first France squad, and the midfielder performed well during the break.
That has given Mourinho and Real Madrid reason to be optimistic about using him against Villarreal, with the hope that he can move closer to the level he showed after first arriving at the club.
Therefore, the Villarreal match could represent an important test for Camavinga and a chance for the Frenchman to show that he can provide the balance Real Madrid need in midfield.
