La Liga champions Real Madrid are tracking the progress of 21-year-old French defender Castello Lukeba at Bundesliga club RB Leipzig.
According to a report by reputed Spanish journalist Jose Felix Diaz MARCA, Castello Lukeba is the subject of interest from Real Madrid. The reigning La Liga champions are keeping tabs on the progress of the 21-year-old RB Leipzig defender and watched him in action against Atletico Madrid last week in the UEFA Champions League.
Castello Lukeba and his young career so far
Castello Lukeba has established himself as one of the best young prospects in the Bundesliga since joining RB Leipzig from Lyon in August 2023. A native of Lyon, the Frenchman began his youth career at Olympique Saint-Genis-Laval before joining Lyon in 2011 and spending most of his formative years with Les Gones.
The 21-year-old rose in prominence after breaking into Lyon’s first-team squad but has taken his performances to the next level at RB Leipzig. Lukeba has turned out nearly 50 times thus far for the Bundesliga outfit while chipping in with one assist.
Meanwhile, Castelo Lukeba’s progress has not gone unnoticed, capturing the attention of several high-profile clubs across Europe. Premier League bigwigs like Chelsea and Manchester United showed interest in the French centre-back in the summer transfer window before a deal failed to materialise. The latest update has linked Lukeba with Real Madrid.
Real Madrid interested
Real Madrid’s interest in Castello Lukeba is understandable. The reigning La Liga champions are ready to dip their toes in the market in the 2025 summer transfer window. While Carlo Ancelotti has three world-class centre-backs in his squad, he needs more options to last a long and excruciating season.
In addition, David Alaba and Antonio Rudiger are on the wrong side of 30, with the former returning from a long-term knee injury. So, Real Madrid should invest in a young centre-back, with several players, including Yarek Gasiorowski. However, Lukeba has also emerged as a viable target for Los Blancos.
The opportunity to join Real Madrid might appeal to the RB Leipzig defender. However, it will be interesting to see if the 21-year-old French centre-back leaves the Bundesliga club to move to the Santiago Bernabeu next year if the reigning La Liga champions launch the offensive to land him.
