Real Madrid News
Real Madrid starting to believe priority summer target could choose Premier League – report
Jude Bellingham is set to be a man in demand over the coming months as top clubs like Real Madrid, Liverpool, and Manchester City battle to sign him
The 19-year-old has enjoyed a meteoric rise in stature since his move to Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2020 from Birmingham City.
One of the most coveted young midfielders in the game, Bellingham is at the top of Real Madrid’s shopping list for the summer of 2023.
The Merengues are keen on adding fresh blood to their midfield unit amid doubts over the continuity of veteran midfielders like Luka Modric and Toni Kroos, both of whom are out of contract in the summer.
Bellingham has been identified as the priority target and work has been done to make his signing a reality.
However, according to a fresh report from ABC (h/t Madrid Xtra), Real Madrid are starting to believe that Bellingham is edging closer to a move to the Premier League.
Liverpool and Manchester City are very much in the picture to sign the 19-year-old England international. Recently, even Fabrizio Romano reported that the Reds were leading the race for the midfielder at this point.
There could be some doubts creeping in within the Real Madrid offices about landing the England star, who had been identified as the natural long-term heir to Modric.
Furthermore, Los Blancos had identified Enzo Fernandez as their primary alternative if they were to miss out on Bellingham’s signing. But the Argentine international is no longer an option for the club as he recently moved to Chelsea from SL Benfica.
Real Madrid did not plan any further alternatives as per ABC beyond Bellingham and Fernandez. So, it remains to be seen how they proceed about their pursuit of a new midfielder for the summer transfer window.
Although Antonio Rudiger has had success since joining Real Madrid last summer, the club are in need of more depth and players that can form the backbone of the defensive unit in the years to come.
As part of their plans, Real Madrid are prioritising a move for Josko Gvardiol in the coming summer, reports 90 Min.
The outlet suggests Gvardiol will be one of the most wanted prospects in the market, with both Real Madrid and Manchester City eyeing a move for the Croatian international come the end of the season.
Formerly of Dinamo Zagreb, Gvardiol has enjoyed immense success since his move to the Bundesliga in 2021. He has impressed onlookers with his skill, organisation and discipline, which, coupled with his versatility, make him an appealing target for any European giant.
Gvardiol was also one of the top performers at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, helping Croatia finish third in the competition. His performances have not gone unnoticed, with Real Madrid among the clubs who have been keeping an eye on the defender for a while now.
However, signing Gvardiol will be a tricky task for Los Blancos. The player still has a long-term contract at Leipzig and could cost up to €85 million, as reported by 90 Min. Not to mention, the competition from Man City could be significant.
Real Madrid have no shortage of alternatives, though, with the club notably closely monitoring Portuguese defensive whizkid Antonio Silva, among others. So it will be interesting to see how the Spanish giants approach the market in this coming summer.
Pat Grey
February 3, 2023 at 2:48 am
I think the time has come to retire the two old men in charge at Real Madrid: president Florentino and dithering coach, Ancelotti, for wasting so much time in buying fresh blood to infuse into Real Madrid across virtually all the positions, of the team: midfield, forward/strikers and defence. They vacillate on getting the right players at the right time, thereby often missing out in givng enough depth to a team whose players are now more susceptible to injuries and fatigue than ever! These two Madrid officials have no more creativity or fire in the belly to be competitive. Thus, as most of us fans fear now, it will take a real miraculous to turn around the team’s fortunes to become a serious contender for such key cups as that of La Liga, Cupa de ray, and UEFA. They both should therefore be booted out before it is too, too late for our dear Real Madrid.