Reports: Real Madrid eye Premier League duo
What's the rumour?
According to The Sun, Real Madrid are looking for replacements up front as well as in the coaching department and have set their sights on the Tottenham Hotspur player-manager duo of Harry Kane and Mauricio Pochettino.
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Real Madrid have been struggling this season as they are languishing in the fourth place in La Liga, 19 points behind arch rivals and table toppers Barcelona, with a game in hand. Things haven't been any better in other competitions as well for Real as they were knocked out of the Copa Del Rey in the quarter-finals by Leganes.
Meanwhile, Pochettino is no stranger to working in Spain as the first major managerial job of his career was at RCD Espanyol in La Liga from 2009 to 2012, the city rivals of Barcelona.
Rumour probability: 6/10
The rumour involving Kane and Pochettino comes as no major surprise as Real Madrid have not been shy of making immediate changes in the past. The model employed by Pochettino at Spurs has paid dividends with back-to-back qualifications to the Champions League over the past two seasons.
In Harry Kane, Real will find a genuine goal scorer and one of the best young prospects in world football. He would be the ideal replacement for Benzema who has been struggling for the past few seasons with injuries and lack of goals.
Ronaldo has also had his fair share of struggles this season and the goals have been scarce in number from the five-time Ballon d'Or winner. Madrid could definitely help themselves by adding a consistent goal scorer to their ranks.
Similarly, the failure to win any silverware this season at Spurs may cause the duo to move forward and a summer move to the Spanish capital might materialize.
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Author's take
Real Madrid have come under the scanner in recent months for not being able to score the required goals in crunch situations. Harry Kane would be a much-needed addition to the side and given the club's history of buying top Spurs players, a deal for the highest goal scorer of 2017 may be on the cards.
Zidane may still be given time to prove himself and save his job by winning the Champions League, a competition that Real have truly made their own over the past two years. However, Real Madrid face PSG in the Round of 16 and an ousting from the competition at this stage itself is very much possible for the Los Blancos. This may force Real Madrid President Florentino Perez to think about the future of the club.