Real Madrid missed Rodri at the last minute. Now they have set their sights on a midfielder for €50 million – who Manchester United tried to sign earlier this summer.
Real Madrid looked set to sign Rodri from Manchester City this summer – after the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner began talks with the La Liga giants after leading Spain to World Cup gold in North America.
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But arch-enemy Barcelona hijacked the deal at the last minute. Now the 30-year-old is playing his matches at Camp Nou this season.
Jose Mourinho has spent the summer reinforcing the squad with talent – to give himself the tools to fight for both La Liga and the Champions League. Still, after two narrow wins over Espanyol and Real Sociedad, he has seen that the team has lacked the control in midfield he wants.
Now the Portuguese is looking for an alternative to Rodri – a role that has previously linked Real to national team colleague Martín Zubimendi.
The Arsenal star would be a perfect solution to Madrid’s midfield problem, but the club is intimidated by the price tag – which is said to be 90 million euros.
Real are looking towards cheaper alternatives
Instead, the 36-time league champion has set his sights on cheaper options – with players from Serie A in his sights.
Tuttosport reports that Real Madrid have Manuel Locatelli in their sights. The Juventus player is said to be looking for a new challenge as a 28-year-old.
At the same time, Spanish outlet AS Diario reports that the club is interested in Manu Koné – a former Manchester United goalkeeper.
The Red Devils came close to signing the Roma star earlier this summer, when the Italian club were willing to accept a €50 million bid for the Frenchman.
It’s no surprise that Madrid could see Koné as a perfect option – after he impressed for France at the World Cup this summer.
The 25-year-old played five games for France before they were knocked out of the tournament, and showed that he can control the midfield from a defensive position.
His strength lies in fending off the opponent’s attacks. He also has quality with the ball – but uses his intelligence to pass the ball to the bigger stars who can create goals. Exactly what he will be able to do at Real Madrid.
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