Real Madrid News
Zinedine Zidane returning to Real Madrid would be complicated but possible – report
With the 2022/23 season set to enter its business end, speculations regarding the futures of players and managers are bound to pick up steam.
And, Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti is not to be spared from this as his continuity at the Santiago Bernabeu has been cast in doubt following the recent run of poor results.
Even though Los Blancos have won the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup this term, there is a good chance that the Italian could be let go if they fail to lift any major trophy.
Replacements are already being lined up with reports throwing up the names of Mikel Arteta, Mauricio Pochettino and even Castilla manager Raul Gonzalez as possible candidates.
Amidst this, a fresh report from MARCA has introduced a new but familiar name into the picture in the form of Zinedine Zidane.
The France legend has already had two successful stints as manager at Real Madrid, but has been without a job since stepping down from his duties at the Santiago Bernabeu in 2021.
Zidane had dreams of taking over the France national team but that is no longer an option as Didier Deschamps will continue with Les Bleus.
Zidane is keen on returning to management but England and Germany are not viable options due to the language barrier while a move to Juventus, a club he holds dear, is unlikely due to their current situation.
PSG is a possible destination for the Frenchman, especially with pressure on Christophe Galtier following their latest debacle in the UEFA Champions League.
When it comes to Spain, though, Real Madrid would be the only option for Zidane. Even though the relationship between him and the club had strained at the time of his exit in 2021, things are understood to be much more fluid now.
The 2006 FIFA World Cup finalist considers the Bernabeu his home and even though his return would be very complicated, it is still a possibility, albeit a remote one.
For now, Ancelotti remains in charge of the team and will continue until the end of the season. But if there is a change of guard in the summer, a third stint for Zidane could be a distant possibility.
Dani Ceballos is one of the players who has Real Madrid on the fence after his recent resurgence. The club appeared certain to part ways with the player during the commencement of the 2022/23 season but no longer find the decision as straightforward.
According to reports from MARCA, Real Madrid are in no hurry to renew Ceballos’ contract. Though his deal runs out in the summer, the Merengues prefer to focus fully on the competitions they are alive in instead of entering auctions for his renewal.
Ceballos has given Los Blancos the signal that his priority is to stay and is waiting for an offer from the board. However, nobody from the administration has contacted him yet.
Sniffing a moment of opportunity, Atletico Madrid have entered the scene and conveyed their interest in signing the midfield star. Los Rojiblancos have already called his entourage twice in recent weeks and a move away from the Bernabeu cannot be ruled out.
At 26 years of age, the Spaniard wishes for regular starts and playing time. It would be difficult for such demands to be met in Real Madrid owing to the sheer number of young prodigies rising in the middle of Los Blancos.
Come next season, Ceballos could be lost in the mix of Aurelien Tchouameni, Eduardo Camavinga, Federico Valverde and veterans like Toni Kroos, while Jude Bellingham could also arrive.
Ceballos has made 19 appearances for the defending champions in La Liga this season, providing one assist in that duration. At just 10 starts and 44 minutes averaged per game, however, his role is clearly centred around the bench.
Moving to Atletico Madrid could thus work well in his favour for he is almost guaranteed playing time in Simeone’s system which is in dire need of a quality attacking midfielder.
The player is currently on international duty with La Roja for the Euro qualifiers. In the team’s opener against Norway, he came on at the hour mark and made a strong cameo with three key passes and a big chance created.
