Midfield trio set to sign an extension with Real Madrid alongside the return of former player | OneFootball

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Real Madrid’s options in the final third may appear bleak for next season, especially considering Karim Benzema and Marco Asensio’s impending exits.

With the two players very close to officially announcing their exit, the club are considering bringing back Brahim Diaz just to make up the numbers, with Mario Cortegana reporting that the player has no issues with a return.

Besides that, there will be no complications in the contract renewals of Luka Modric and Toni Kroos, and both deals are expected to be official soon.

Another player who is close to renewing his deal with the club is Dani Ceballos. The midfielder is aware that he will not have many roles this season but sees a great opportunity to start and succeed regularly after next summer.

The Spaniard reportedly had one foot outside Real Madrid earlier this week and was negotiating with clubs who offered a regular starting role. However, the Merengues‘ re-entering the scene with a revised structure changed the game and secured Ceballos’ continuity.

In 29 La Liga appearances this season including 18 starts, the 26-year-old has provided four assists. He averages one key pass per game and has created just one big chance so far in the league.

With Jude Bellingham arriving in the summer, Ancelotti will have a gold mine of options in the middle of the park next season. After all, Aurelien Tchouameni, Eduardo Camavinga, Federico Valverde, Toni Kroos, Dani Ceballos, Luka Modric, and the new signing are all capable of starting at the highest level.

All eyes will thus be on the Italian tactician come July. As Ancelotti guides his squad to the United States of America for preseason, identifying the optimal combination will be critical.

Real Madrid attacking prodigy does not wish to play as a centre-forward – report

Published

14 mins ago

on

June 9, 2023

By

Adithya Eshwarla

Photo by CRISTINA QUICLER/AFP via Getty Images

The fall of Real Madrid’s attack in a span of two weeks has been unbelievable. A series of departures has left the department in shambles and there is now an urgent need to replenish its resources.

Karim Benzema and Marco Asensio were two of the team’s most impactful players over the past year.

Meanwhile, Mariano Diaz and Eden Hazard gave the manager much-needed cushioning by serving as backup options. With all four players now gone, Ancelotti only has Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo Goes to count on in the final third.

no longer sees that plan as viable as he prioritises the arrival of Kylian Mbappe next summer.

Needless to say, the pressure is now on Carlo Ancelotti to manage an entire season without a world-class number nine. One of the options naturally considered was to deploy Rodrygo as centre-forward and sign another player to play on the right wing.

Alfredo Matilla the Brazilian is not keen on making such a swap. He considers the role of a striker to be his least favourite and prefers to be used on the wing.

The 22-year-old scored nine goals and provided eight assists in 34 La Liga appearances for Real Madrid last season. Further, he averaged 1.4 key passes per game and created ten big chances.

Purely in terms of ability, Rodrygo has shown to possess the X-factor in front of goal. Yet, it is clear from the few games he played at centre-forward that he disconnects from the buildup at that position.

It is indeed in Ancelotti’s best interest to deploy the Brazilian prodigy on the flank and maximise his impact. A new signing for the centre-forward position thus becomes non-negotiable.