Real Madrid News
Real Madrid to open talks for priority target this week, want to avoid ‘Mbappe case’
According to Pacojo on SER Deportivos, Real Madrid want to finalise a deal for priority transfer target Jude Bellingham at the earliest possible.
Los Merengues wish to avoid a new ‘Kylian Mbappe case’ and are hence planning to open talks with Borussia Dortmund for the midfielder as early as this week.
Bellingham is at the top of the wishlist for Real Madrid for the summer of 2023. With uncertainty looming over the continuity of stars like Toni Kroos and Dani Ceballos, a new midfielder is a must at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Real Madrid have long admired Bellingham and have already been laying the groundwork to seal his signing. Recent reports even suggest that they are increasingly confident of landing the 19-year-old ahead of clubs like Liverpool and Manchester City.
Dortmund, for their part, are said to be preparing for the exit of their midfield prodigy, who despite being in his teens, has captained the team on quite a few occasions this season.
The Bundesliga giants are likely to demand a fee in the range of €130-150 million if widespread reports are to be believed.
While Real Madrid had appeared reluctant to shell out such a sum initially, they have decided to spend on the teenager after his exploits at the World Cup for England convinced him.
Bellingham, for his part, is also understood to be favouring a move to the Santiago Bernabeu. The midfielder, however, wants an early resolution to the matter and does not want it to drag into a soap opera.
Real Madrid, too, are now planning to finalise a transfer at the earliest possible as they wish to avoid another scenario like with Mbappe last summer when he made a last-minute swerve to remain at PSG.
With both parties keen on the move and relations between Real Madrid and Dortmund good, talks could move swiftly once the Merengues open talks with the German giants.
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.
