5 players who have been linked with moves to Real Madrid
Carlo Ancelotti is back at Real Madrid after spending a season managing Premier League side Everton.
Los Blancos finished second in La Liga last season, two points behind their arch-rivals Atletico Madrid. However, disappointments in domestic cup competitions and the UEFA Champions League meant that Zinedine Zidane lost his job. A few players could also be on their way out of the club soon.
Similar to most La Liga clubs, Real Madrid are in a financially tight position this summer. Although David Alba has joined the club on a free transfer, veteran defender Sergio Ramos has left, and Raphael Varane could also depart soon.
Real Madrid's main focus for this transfer window appears to be in the areas of midfield and attack. They have identified several targets, and here's a look at five players who have been linked with moves to Los Blancos.
#5 Leon Goretzka
Real Madrid are among the many admirers of Leon Goretzka, who will be a free agent next summer. The Bayern Munich midfielder has yet to sign a contract extension and is said to be very interested in joining Los Blancos.
With Real Madrid's ageing midfield, signing Goretzka seems like a wise decision, given that he has a wealth of experience playing in Europe. Furthermore, the Germany international has the best minute-per-goal contribution ratio of any central midfielder over the last two Bundesliga campaigns.
Although Manchester United are also lining up a move for Goretzka this summer, Real Madrid remain confident and are set to begin contract talks with him in January 2022.
#4 Lautaro Martinez
Lautaro Martinez is another player who has attracted interest from Real Madrid. After winning the Serie A title, Martinez's agent is believed to have travelled to Spain to meet representatives from Los Blancos and Atletico Madrid.
The 23-year-old enjoyed a fantastic season, scoring three goals in six Copa America appearances for Argentina. At the club level, he finished the 2020-21 campaign with 17 goals and 10 assists in 38 Serie A games.
While his contract with Inter Milan expires in 2023, both parties have yet to sit down to discuss the terms of an extension. This gives Real Madrid a great opportunity to sign the player, but the Nerazzurri are likely to demand at least €80 million.
Atletico Madrid had previously submitted a bid worth €40 million but was rejected by the Italian club.