Real Madrid have reportedly set their sights on Villarreal’s prolific goalscorer Gerard Moreno as new manager Carlo Ancelotti eyes attacking reinforcements.
According to an exclusive report from Defensa Central, Real Madrid are showing an interest in securing the transfer of Villarreal and Spain forward Gerard Moreno in the summer window.
Moreno is currently in his second stint with Villarreal, having previously spent five years at the club between 2010 and 2015, before returning in the summer of 2018 from Espanyol. Across his two stints with the Yellow Submarine, the 29-year-old has managed to produce a tally of 82 goals and 27 assists from 185 appearances so far.
The 2020/21 campaign was one of Moreno’s best in his career, as he plundered 30 goals and set up 11 more in 46 matches across all competitions, helping Villarreal to the UEFA Europa League triumph. Even though Unai Emery’s side finished seventh in La Liga, Moreno’s tally of 23 goals in the league was bettered only by Barcelona captain Lionel Messi (30).
The 29-year-old’s exploits with Villarreal have now landed him on the radars of who’s who of European football. Recently, it was claimed that Manchester United and Barcelona had shown an interest in signing Moreno, and now it is Real Madrid who are angling for a move for the Spanish international, as per the aforementioned report.
It is no secret that Real Madrid are way too reliant on Karim Benzema in the final third. The Frenchman enjoyed yet another impressive campaign for Los Blancos but lacked adequate support from those around him while the squad doesn’t have a proper backup option for the veteran striker either. And, that is something that new manager Carlo Ancelotti must address before the season kicks off.
To that end, Real Madrid have been linked with a move for various attackers in recent weeks, with Everton’s Brazilian forward Richarlison emerging as the latest target. And now, Moreno, too, has popped up on their radars with the Spanish international being a viable addition to the squad given his know-how of the division and his ability to play across the frontline, meaning he and Benzema could form a dangerous partnership.
Five former Carlo Ancelotti stars Real Madrid could look to sign | THT Opinions
The report, however, does add that Real Madrid are not entirely locked in making a move for Moreno as, at the age of 29, he is deemed a bit on the older side, even though he still has a few good seasons left in him at the top level. In addition to that, Villarreal will only sell him for a massive transfer fee, with his release clause standing at a mammoth €100 million, which makes the switch even harder to pull off.
It now remains to be seen if Real Madrid are willing to set aside their concerns and push ahead to sign Moreno or look at alternatives to bolster their attacking unit this summer.
