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Real Madrid blog

After Sergio Aguero renewed his contract with Manchester City and Radamel Falcao reached an agreement to move to Monaco, there are very few options left for Real Madrid to sign a star striker in the transfer window. In this article I will try to analyse which of the forwards across world football are most likely to arrive at the Bernabeu and how they would fit into the team.

  • Edison Cavani (25 years old). The Napoli striker shares many characteristics with Karim Benzema, playing wise. He is a born striker who can move to the wings; a forward who can hold the ball and find the back of the net easily. The qualities he could add to Real’s forward line are his passion and fighting spirit, what would surely make him earn the fans support early on. However, his price -63 million euros- is too high, especially taking in account the fact that Florentino Perez wants Gareth Bale’s transfer to be his only big investment. Cavani has scored 104 times in 138 games for Napoli.
  • Luis Suarez (26). The Uruguayan is a great forward who has fire within him. His electric game style and his ability to dribble make almost unstoppable. Plus, his powerful shot with both feet makes him a top scorer. In fact, he has scored 30 goals in 44 games for Liverpool this season. Valued in 40 million euros, he is a terrific player, there is no doubt about it. But he is not the adequate player for a club whose history is based on nobility and dignity. He is always creating controversy –his racist comments, his bite on Ivanovic… – and would bring trouble to a squad which is already difficult to manage.
  • Carlos Tevez (29). The Argentinean is a wonderfully gifted player, in a way similar to Suarez: with fantastic dribbling skills, but not so accurate when shooting on target –he has scored 17 goals in 38 appearances for Manchester City this season. Either playing as striker or in a second attack line, he makes opposite defenders suffer in every game. Tevez is also a born fighter with a great physical condition. However, like Suarez, he is frequently at the centre of controversies. The fact that he is already 29 years old and earns a ten million euro salary put him miles away of Real Madrid’s expectations.
  • Robert Lewandowski (24). The Pole could be the perfect fit for a squad that has been lacking a big man who wins many aerial duels. Not since Ruud Van Nistelrooy have Los Blancos had a scorer with that kind of presence –a goal poacher inside the penalty box. Florentino has tried to convince Borussia Dortmund’s striker to sign, but latest rumours claim that he is closer to move to Bayern Munich or Chelsea. The Polish international has scored 54 goals in 98 appearances for Dortmund. His market price would be around just 30 million euros giving that his contract expires next season.

Taking in account his age, price and style of play, I think Lewandowski would be the perfect fit for Los Blancos’s new project. He would make a perfect pair with Cristiano Ronaldo, and he could also work well in a trio with the Portuguese and Benzema depending on the game situations. It’s a pity that Bayern Munich and Chelsea have taken the advantage to sign him. Like Raphael Varane, Lewandowski could be the future of Real Madrid.

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Daniel Carvajal with Bayer Leverkusen

Bayer Leverkusen right back will rejoin Real Madrid this summer if Florentino Perez remains as president, following his decision to buy the player back.

According to Spanish sports daily Marca, Real’s homegrown defender has already been informed of his return, although the transfer has not been made official yet.

Carvajal moved to Leverkusen from Castilla last summer, signing a five-year deal, with Real including an eight million euros buy-back clause in the deal.

The Spanish defender has had a brilliant season at Leverkusen, being included among the best 11 of the Bundesliga. This has made him the fans favourite to reinforce a position where Alvaro Arbeloa and Michael Essien have not performed at the expected level.

Real could pay the eight million euros or include in the deal another youngster. Leverkusen has shown an interest on Castilla’s players Jese Rodriguez and Denis Cheryshev.

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Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has admitted the club could make a sensational move for Barcelona player Thiago Alcantara – and could sign him for as little as 18 million euros.

The 22-year-old’s future at the Nou Camp has come into doubt in recent months due to his limited playing time.

The midfielder, who has been likened to Xavi Hernandez and Andres Initesa, is thought be wanted by Manchester United and Manchester City.

But speaking to Sport, Perez said Los Blancos could also make a move for Thiago.

He is quoted as saying: “If Barca aren’t interested in Thiago, and if our new coach is interested, we would like to sign him.”

Thiago has a buy out clause set at a mouth-watering 90 million euros, but that figure drops dramatically should he fail to play a certain percentage of his side’s matches – meaning any prospective buyer could sign him for 18 million.

He is expected to play a key role with Spain’s Under 21 side this summer when they take part in the Under-21 European Championships.

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Real Madrid goalkeeper Diego Lopez has turned down the opportunity to leave Los Blancos for Chelsea, according to reports.

The Express claimed the keeper, who only signed for Madrid in the January transfer window, was a target for Jose Mourinho – who is expected to be named as Chelsea’s new manager next week.

But the Spaniard is keen to stay with Los Merengues and fight for his place in the side.

The goalkeeping situation at the Bernabeu caused much controversy this year with Mourinho dropping captain and World Cup-winner Iker Casillas back in January in favour of Lopez.

According to the paper, the keeper said: “I have a contract for many years. It is difficult to be unhappy at Madrid.

“I believe in competition for places and I believe the goalkeeping position will be open like any other place in the team.”

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Florentino Perez, Real Madrid president

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has declared in an interview to Spanish radio station Cope that he wants Cristiano Ronaldo to be the leader of his next project and that he wouldn’t sell him “for 1,000 million euros”.

“Cristiano has two years left on his contract with us, he is the best player in the world and we would like to boost the squad with him as the main piece”, Perez said.

“I will do everything I can to extend his contract. We pay the players good salaries and we include very high exit clauses. We are not a club that sells players”.

I that interview, Perez also spoke about the possible transfers: “I don’t think we have to bring a star just to generate excitement. If there is a great player that can be signed, he will come to Real.”

“Bale is very talented, he plays in a friend club and we have to respect that. And if there is a player that Barcelona doesn’t want and we do, I think it would be fine to go after him”, he concluded, in a reference to the possible signing of Barça’s midfielder Thiago Alcantara.

 

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Spanish sports paper Marca claims in its front page that Carlo Ancelotti’s signing for Real Madrid has turned even more complicated after Paris Saint Germain sports director Leonardo Nascimento has been penalized with a nine month ban for having pushed a referee in a League 1 game against Valenciennes.

According to the Madrid daily, Leonardo had been chosen to replace Ancelotti on the bench, and that nine month ban would complicate the transfer. “PSG’s sheik will offer Ancelotti becoming sports director and manager to try to hold him”, Marca states.

This would make German coach Jupp Heynckes become the first choice for Real’s bench, Marca says. “He’s got 99 per cent chances to coach Real Madrid”, they publish. Spanish daily As reports the same argument and titles: “Heynckes gains options”.

The other main Madrid sports daily highlights the announcement of the new partnership with Fly Emirates and the presentation of the new kits for next season: “We have a shirt, we are looking for a boss”.

 

 

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Former Real Madrid midfielder Luis Figo says Los Blancos have made the right decision to part ways with Jose Mourinho at the end of a turbulent season.

The manager will leave his role at the Bernabeu after the final game of the campaign against Osasuna this weekend – ending his three-year association with the club.

Although some commentators regard Mourinho’s spell in charge as successful – a record-breaking league title win, a Copa del Rey, a Spanish Supercopa and three Champions League semi-finals – he will also be remembered for his high profile fall outs.

This season has been the most turbulent within the squad, with Mourinho controversially dropping Iker Casillas and punishing players who spoke out against his decisions, including Pepe and Sergio Ramos.

Speaking at a charity event, Figo said now was the time for both parties to go their separate ways.

He stated: “It was to be expected. I believe it is right for them to bid farewell.

“Some people will not like it, others will think it’s the right thing, but the reality in life is you cannot please all the people. The fans should try to be fair and wait to see what happens next.”

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Manchester City forward Carlos Tevez is being considered by Real Madrid as a potential replacement for the outgoing Gonzalo Higuain, reports have suggested.

Spanish daily Marca said Los Blancos have already made contact with the Premier League runners-up about a potential deal and would be prepared to include either defender Pepe or winger Angel di Maria as part of the agreement.

Although Tevez seems content to stay at the Etihad Stadium after an unhappy spell two years ago that saw him return home to Argentina for six months, the City hierarchy is believed to be willing to cash in on the forward.

Tevez scored 17 goals in 47 appearances for the Citizens this season, contributing a further 16 assists. The Argentinean has also notched up 13 goals in 62 games for his country.

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Valencia playmaker Sergio Canales could return to Real Madrid if Carlo Ancelotti is appointed as the man to replace Jose Mourinho, it has been reported.

Goal.com said the Italian manager is already making plans to bolster Los Blancos’ squad even though no agreement has been reached between Real Madrid and PSG to bring him to the Bernabeu.

And Ancelotti sees 22-year-old Canales as a key component in the squad, the website claimed. He tried to take the attacking midfielder to Chelsea in 2010 when he was in charge of the Premier League side, but Canales had already agreed a deal with Real Madrid.

The move failed to work out though and he was sent on loan to Valencia initially before signing a permanent deal last summer.

Canales is contracted to Valencia until 2017 and has a buy-out clause of 61 million euros. He has netted two goals in 12 league appearances this year.

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Both Madrid sport newspapers highlight as a main news in their front pages the declarations made by Liverpool’s forward Luis Suarez, who said “although I have a running contract with Liverpool, it would hard to say no to Real Madrid”.

“The Uruguayan is tired of living in England and he would be cheaper than Cavani”, says As. “There is a total agreement with the player, but the clubs have to reach a deal”, claims Marca.

Marca states that Suarez would cost 47 million euros, compared to Cavani’s 63 million, and he would sign a four-year contract. The Spanish daily also reports that Real may add Carlos Tevez to the list of candidates for the striker position.

Marca also declares that Los Blancos promising youngster Jese Rodriguez expects that Zinedine Zidane will count on him for next year’s squad, rather than going on loan to other team.

As highlights an exclusive given by the Daily Star, who claimed Real Madrid would make a starting offer of 70 million euros for Gareth Bale.

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