Real Madrid News Roundup: Blancos line up replacements for Zinedine Zidane, club could face competition for superstar target's signature, and more — 2nd December 2020
Real Madrid face a precarious situation at the moment as they could potentially be relegated to the UEFA Europa League after what has been a dismal Champions League campaign so far. The Blancos' situation got worse after a shocking defeat to Shakhtar Donetsk, which was their second of their European campaign, with the first also coming at the hands of the Ukrainian champions.
The defeat has sent shockwaves through the Spanish capital, and they could face severe repercussions should they fail to arrest what has been a concerning dip in performances. With a season-defining run of games including fixtures against Sevilla, Borussia Monchengladbach, and Atletico Madrid on the horizon, here, we take a look at the latest Real Madrid news.
Mauricio Pochettino in line to replace Zinedine Zidane
After what have been a turbulent few weeks for Zinedine Zidane, ther have been conflicting reports over the Real Madrid man's future. The reliable Jose Felix Diaz of MARCA has claimed that should the Frenchman not manage to turn his side's fortunes around in the next few games, his situation could be 'delicate', and could potentially lose his job. If Zidane does indeed get the sack, Mauricio Pochettino is first in line as a replacement for him.
Diaz also stated that former Blancos icon Raul, currently the manager of Real Madrid Castilla, is the second choice. The Spaniard's knowledge of the club gives him an edge over other potential candidates bar Pochettino, who reportedly tops their list of replacements for Zidane.
Elsewhere, other reports from Spain, most notably from Diario AS, claims that Zidane's job is not at stake. A source close to the club was quoted saying;
"[Zinedine] Zidane’s name doesn’t appear on the agenda. The club does not question nor has it ever questioned [Zidane]. In Madrid we don’t have to talk about Zidane, a coach who has given us a lot and who is part of the club’s history."
Real Madrid not expecting any January signings
Despite the precarious situation that Real Madrid find themselves in at the moment, Jose Felix Diaz reports that the club do not expect to see any major winter additions to the side. However, should Spanish playmaker Isco — who has been linked with a move away from the club — depart the capital club, the Blancos will consider a player to replace him.
It was also noted by Christian Falk on Fabrizio Romano's podcast that Zidane was not happy with Real Madrid's decision to opt against bringing in any new signings in the summer. Due to this reason, it could potentially be an even more challenging season for the Frenchman if he is unable to strengthen in the winter.
The 2020 summer was the first window in four decades during which Real Madrid did not bring in any new players from the transfer market. The only additions were on-loan stars Martin Odegaard and Andriy Lunin.
Kylian Mbappe undecided on future
Paris Saint-Germain superstar Kylian Mbappe is said to be undecided on his future ahead of the transfer window. The Frenchman is widely regarded as the priority target for Real Madrid, who have followed him for a long while. However, French football journalist Julien Laurens has claimed that Mbappe has three options at hand, which are to join Real Madrid, Liverpool, or extend his contract at PSG.
The English champions are the other club that are said to be very keen on his services, and have been strongly with the World Cup-winning star. Mbappe's current deal runs out in 2022, and PSG have already confirmed that they are in talks to extend his deal, but there has been no significant progress as of yet.
Also read: Manchester United vs PSG Combined XI | UEFA Champions League 2020/21