Reports: Real Madrid interested in Juventus defender Merih Demiral
According to Fichajes Futbl, La Liga champions Real Madrid are monitoring Juventus defender Merih Demiral over a potential January transfer. After a sensational 2018-19 campaign for Sassuolo, Demiral caught the eyes of several clubs across Europe.
His constant show of class in the heart of defense helped Sassuolo to an impressive eighth-place finish in Serie A. Juventus beat stiff competition and complete a €9.2 million deal for the Turkish defender’s signature in 2019.
However, since his move to the Serie A champions, Demiral has struggled to break into Andrea Pirlo’s set up.
The likes of Giorgio Chiellini, Leonardo Bonucci and Matthijs de Ligt are well ahead in the pecking order of central defenders at the club, due to which the 22-year-old has been frozen out by the Old Lady.
The Turkey international has also suffered a fair share of injuries in the past year, with a series of long-term injuries resulting in his slow development in Turin.
Demiral has featured in just 17 of 73 games since his joining Juventus and is reportedly considering his future, as he struggles to earn a first-team spot with the Italian champions.
Real Madrid could turn to Demiral as Sergio Ramos' heir
Demiral is reportedly seeking a move away from the Allianz Stadium in search of more game time, and Real Madrid have emerged as front runners for his signature.
Reports from Italy claim Real Madrid are interested in the young defender as head coach Zinedine Zidane hopes to bolster his defense.
Contract renewal talks between Real Madrid and club captain Sergio Ramos have stalled, causing the Los Blancos to search for potential replacements should the 34-year-old quit the Santiago Bernabeu.
Several clubs are also tracking Demiral’s situation, with Liverpool, Atletico Madrid and Tottenham ready to battle the Bianconeri for his signature.
The likes of Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip and Joe Gomez are battling for fitness with long-term injuries, forcing Liverpool into the market in search of a center-back. Atletico Madrid and Tottenham, on the other hand, are hoping to bring in fresh blood to offer competition to the current squad.
Juventus, who are not interested in releasing the defender, have valued the 22-year-old at €50 million, and this might prove to be a stumbling block for potential suitors.
It would be interesting to see if Real Madrid or Liverpool would splash the cash to meet Juventus’ €50 million demand.
Merih Demiral is contracted to the Serie A champions until the summer of 2024.