Real Madrid face stiff Premier League competition for 21-year-old Bundesliga defender | OneFootball

Real Madrid fell short of their transfer plans in the previous summer transfer window with Leny Yoro snubbing them for the Premier League.

As a result, Los Blancos find themselves short-staffed in central defence where only Antonio Rudiger and Eder Militao remain as options who are fit and the manager counts on.

Heading into the upcoming transfer windows, Real Madrid thus prioritise signing a new, young defender who can serve in the long haul. Castello Lukeba of RB Leipzig is the one who interests them on that front.

Strong competition

Real Madrid and Chelsea have had their eyes on the French pearl for a long time now, especially for how he has established himself as a regular starter in the Bundesliga at just 21 years of age.

Real Madrid are tracking Castello Lukeba. (Photo by Maja Hitij/Getty Images)

Now according to reports from Fichajes, the race to sign Lukeba has only become tougher. Liverpool and Aston Villa have both reportedly entered the dynamics and see the youngster fit in presently to their future plans.

With three teams from the Premier League battling Real Madrid head-on for the 21-year-old’s recruitment, it will not be easy for Los Blancos to secure his signing and they may well have to fork out a fortune.

Lukeba’s current contract with RB Leipzig runs until the summer of 2028, giving the German side complete leverage over his future and any possible transfer fee. As it stands, word has it that they expect at least €60 million for the young star.

It thus remains to be seen if Florentino Perez and Co. are willing to shell out the aforementioned premium for the youngster which may well increase if a bidding war begins. After all, the Merengues have been very cautious to not overspend in recent transfer markets.