Real Madrid News
Real Madrid superstar announces daring personal ambition – 50 goals this season
The highlight of Real Madrid’s 2024 summer transfer window was the signing of Kylian Mbappe after what was an endless saga.
Arriving at the club after constantly flirting for years, there was always a lot of pressure on Mbappe to perform and hit the same levels he displayed at PSG.
Considering that Vinicius Jr. occupies his niche on the left wing at the Spanish club, his adaptation was further complicated.
Despite the challenges of adapting to a new team, Mbappe has started life in Madrid decently and has regularly got on the scoresheet. The player, however, has set a big challenge for himself.
Mbappe sets a target
As revealed on El Chiringuito TV earlier today, Mbappe has told his Real Madrid teammates, coaches and executives that he will score 50 goals this season. His aspirations, thus, are massive but fitting for a player of his quality.
In seven La Liga games so far, the French winger has found the back of the net five times and has one goal to his name in the UEFA Champions League.
Considering that the season is still in its infancy and that close to five more competitions are to be added to the calendar in the coming months, Mbappe may well hit the special 50-goal milestone in his first season at the club.
A major aspect for him to reach that number, however, is his consistency in the final third and his fitness. While the former is relatively easier given the player’s brilliance, the latter will be more difficult to maintain given the hectic schedule.
Mbappe recently returned from injury earlier than expected and participated in Real Madrid’s game against Lille. He is, however, not completely fit and will thus skip international duty with France.
According to TeamTalk, Real Madrid have joined the growing list of clubs monitoring Gabriel Rajkovic, a 15-year-old winger whose rapid development at Valerenga has already attracted attention from several of Europe’s leading sides.
The Merengues are known for keeping an eye on exciting young talent across the globe and it seems that Rajkovic’s exploits in Norway, with the first team, have alerted them.
Real Madrid keeping tabs on Rajkovic
As per the report, Real Madrid are among a host of clubs closely following the progress of the young forward.
Rajkovic holds both Norwegian and Serbian nationality and has emerged as one of the most promising young players in Norway.
His development has not gone unnoticed, with Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund also understood to be monitoring him.
However, at this point, it is Arsenal and Chelsea, who are understood to be leading the charge for Rajkovic, having compiled a detailed dossier on the teenage prodigy after extensive scouting.
On top of that, the likes of Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur have all watched Rajkovic in recent weeks.
Real Madrid could therefore face significant competition if they decide to step up their interest in a player who has already made an impression at senior level.
Making an impact at just 15
Rajkovic was handed a promotion to the Valerenga first-team squad in January earlier this year, when he was only 14 years old.
Following that, he signed a new contract with the club in March, when he turned 15, committing to the club until 2028.
Despite being only 15, the winger has already begun gaining experience in first-team football. In all, he has made 14 senior appearances for the Norwegian outfit, scoring three and assisting one goal.
Rajkovic has also represented Norway Under-16s, making two appearances and scoring once despite being younger than many of his teammates.
Those numbers become more impressive when his age and stage of development are taken into account.
Real Madrid have built a reputation for identifying young talent well before players reach their peak, and Rajkovic has now emerged as another name on their scouting radar.
But given the number of clubs in the race, signing the teenage wonderkid will not be easy.
