Real Madrid News
Real Madrid want a new right-back, eyeing Manchester City and PSG stars as targets
The conclusion of Real Madrid’s 2022/23 season established that the team needs some serious reinforcement in the wider areas of defence. In this regard, a certain Fran Garcia is already on his way from Rayo Vallecano but the right side still remains a problem without a solution.
Now, according to what Tomas Gonzalez-Martin has written for El Debate, the likes of Kyle Walker and Achraf Hakimi are two options that are being considered to consolidate the right side of the defence.
We have reported before that Hakimi is already thinking about a potential return to Madrid. The 24-year-old Morocco international was born in Spain and joined Madrid’s youth setup at the age of eight. After making his debut for the first team in the 2017/18 season, he began to roam around the continent.
He first spent two years on loan at Borussia Dortmund before moving to Inter in a permanent deal. After spending a solitary season there, the right-back joined Paris Saint-Germain.
And now, it is believed that the 24-year-old is open to the possibility of returning to Real Madrid. Interestingly enough, Hakimi’s wish to return to the capital city coincides with Madrid’s will to sign a right-back.
At the moment, Dani Carvajal remains the first choice option and since he is entering the last phase of his career, the club wants to sign a more reliable option than Lucas Vazquez. For that, Chelsea right-back Reece James is thought to be one option and Kyle Walker is the latest player to join the list.
The Man City right-back was exceptional in the UEFA Champions League semi-final second leg against Real Madrid, as he kept Vinicius Jr under check.
Walker has a contract with the Cityzens until 2024 and could be available for an affordable price. However, given that he is already 32, the management might want to be more careful while dealing.
The option of signing Hakimi, however, could be a tempting one as the age is on his side while his style of play suits perfectly to Madrid’s.
Real Madrid are looking towards a heavy splurge in the coming summer transfer window. After all, they do not even have another option given the sheer number of player departures already finalized.
Los Blancos have lost the services of Karim Benzema, Marco Asensio, Mariano Diaz, and Eden Hazard over the past week. While three of the four players predominantly featured on the bench, their presence in the squad gave Carlo Ancelotti’s side much-needed depth and a cushion of sorts.
The forward unit is, thus, the most prioritized department ahead of the transfer window. However, pieces are beginning to fall apart on other fronts and could potentially put the club in a difficult situation.
According to reports from Gianluca Di Marzio, Juventus are eyeing Lucas Vazquez and hope to sign him in the coming month. Contacts between the two parties have begun and the transfer fee discussed appears to be around the €6 million to €8 million ballpark given that he has just one year left on his contract.
The player, for his part, is willing to sign for the Italian giants given his relative lack of minutes at the Santiago Bernabeu. At 31 years of age, he understandably does not want to play a second-fiddle role.
Vasquez played part in 23 of Real Madrid’s 38 La Liga games last season, starting only on 12 occasions. Even in his few appearances, he averaged a mere 50 minutes per game.
The veteran completed the season with four goals and an assist to his name. Further, he averaged five defensive actions and a key pass in every game and feels hard done by his limited role.
Vazquez’s departure would place the club in a tricky situation as it would leave Real Madrid with only Dani Carvajal as a natural right-back option. Nacho Fernandez could, in theory, serve as the backup but a new signing for the position cannot be ruled out.
Junior
May 19, 2023 at 2:49 pm
Why not buy Jeremie Frimpong, he’s young, has a similar game to Carvajal instead of any of these players, he’s probably cheaper than Reece James and Hakimi for sure