Real Madrid officially announced the signing of David Alaba on Friday. The Austrian arrives as a free agent and has been handed a five-year deal. Alaba was courted by a host of top clubs around Europe, but Los Blancos eventually won the race for his signature. The Austrian will complete his move to the Santiago Bernabeu when his current contract with Bayern Munich expires at the end of June.
Alaba is expected to be the first of a few arrivals at the club this summer as Real Madrid attempt to put the disappointment of the 2020-21 season behind them. Los Blancos are expected to fight for the La Liga title as well as the Champions League next season, so the upcoming transfer window will be pivotal for their ambitions.
On that note, let’s take a look at the top transfer stories from Real Madrid from 29th May 2021.
French superstar eager to join Real Madrid
French superstar Kylian Mbappe is eager to join Real Madrid, according to AS. The Paris Saint-Germain forward has already enquired about La Liga from his team-mates who have played in Spain. Mbappe has apparently asked about the condition of the pitches and how difficult the league is. He has consulted Neymar, Ander Herrera and Angel Di Maria, among others, and even had conversations with current manager Mauricio Pochettino.
The Frenchman is yet to renew his current contract, which expires next summer, and remains the number one target for Los Blancos. Former Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane’s departure is not expected to affect Mbappe’s desire to move to the Santiago Bernabeu. PSG are desperate to hold on to him but might have to move him on this summer or risk losing him for free a year later.
Los Blancos ready to battle for Inter Milan striker
Real Madrid have turned their attentions to Inter Milan striker Romelu Lukaku and are willing to battle Atletico Madrid for his signature, according to The Hard Tackle via El Gol digital. The Belgian is also wanted by Chelsea and could cost around €100m.
Los Blancos are searching for Karim Benzema’s successor, with the 33-year-old nearing the fag end of his career. With Luka Jovic and Mariano Diaz failing to live up to expectations, Real Madrid believe Lukaku is ideal for the role. The La Liga giants will face competition for his services, but the Nerazzurri could be willing to sell the Belgian for €80m.
Real Madrid icons reveal their choice for the next manager
Real Madrid icons Fernando Morientes, Alvaro Benito, Jorge Valdano and Predrag Mijatovic believe Raul would be the ideal successor to Zidane, Marca reports. The Spaniard is currently in charge of Real Madrid Castilla and could follow the Frenchman’s footsteps to take the reins of the first team.
All four Los Blancos icons agreed that Raul would do a good job if he is selected as the next manager. They talked about his passion, while also pointing out the stellar performance of the youth team under his tutelage.