The Hard Tackle looks back on some of the important news regarding La Liga leaders Real Madrid.
Paul Pogba rejected Real Madrid for Manchester United
Not that it comes as much of a surprise given how he eventually completed the move to England, but Paul Pogba in an interview has indicated that he personally ‘ignored’ offers from Barcelona and Real Madrid before making his return to Manchester United.
The Frenchman in an interview to SFR sport spoke about last summer’s biggest transfer saga and opened up about how a return to Old Trafford was always on the cards ever since he left for Juventus in 2012.
Pogba was quoted as saying,”I came here because I have targets, it’s a big challenge for me. I could have also gone to Real Madrid or Barcelona, they were interested. I chose to return, because I had that in my heart. It was my feeling that brought me here.”
“I want to win with Manchester United, I’ve never won with them. I had always said that I would return — I didn’t know when — because it’s a club that I like a lot.”
The midfielder further expanded on his love for the club and how he’d work hard to ensure it touches the heights it did under the golden era of Sir Alex Ferguson. He said,”I hadn’t finished, I left because I wanted to play. I hadn’t done what I had wanted to do here. I want United to become the great United again. That’s my challenge here.”
£89 million acquisition has featured in 28 games so far for the Red Devils scoring 6 goals and assisting four more. The Frenchman is yet to reach his level of performances with Juventus but if his recent form is any evidence, he is certainly getting there.
David De Gea is ‘priority target’ for Real Madrid
From one Manchester United star to another, it’s David De Gea’s turn to be linked with a Real Madrid move. Spanish website Don Balon claims that Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane has made De Gea his number one target this summer.
There is absolutely nothing new or surprising regarding the player’s apparent link to the La Liga leaders considering the comical history of the transfer negotiations between the two clubs in the past.
The Spaniard was a laughable fax-machine error away from completing a transfer to the Santiago Bernabeu in 2015. Real Madrid haven’t shown interest for the player since but it appears they could be on the money once more in the summer.
De Gea unsurprisingly has been one of United’s more consistent and stand-out performers this season and has grown leaps and bounds since Madrid were last linked with him.
And with two aging goal-keepers in their ranks, their unrelenting pursuit of young goalkeepers of the likes of Chelsea’s Thibaut Courtois and David De Gea is understandable.
Real Madrid expected to pay €10 million for Alexander Isak
Real Madrid are set to pay €10 million for the signing of AIK Solna starlet Alexander Isak, according to Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet. Madrid are expected to complete the signing of the 17-year-old striker, who is considered one of Europe’s most exciting prospects, this week.
Isak is represented by the brothers Vlado and Zoran Lemic, whose clients also include present Real midfielder Luka Modric (a factor that has helped the deal).
It’s understood that the two agents are scheduled to fly to the Spanish capital on Wednesday to thrash out the final terms of the transfer with Los Blancos.
The 17 year old Alexander Isak just scored his first goal for Sweden, and made history being the youngest goalscorer for the Swedish team pic.twitter.com/UKAIIuZ36k
— Denz Zadeh (@DenzOfficialSE) January 12, 2017
If Real do spend €10 million on Isak, it will be the biggest ever fee involving a Swedish club – ahead of the 7.8m Ajax paid Malmö for Zlatan Ibrahimovic in 2001. Los Blancos’ one-window FIFA transfer ban means they cannot register any new players this January, but does not prevent them from making signings.
Madrid’s plan is therefore for Isak to arrive in the summer – when they will be able to register him – at which point he’ll join the squad of ‘B’ team Real Madrid Castilla.
Isak became the youngster ever scorer for the Swedish national team last week scoring in the side’s 6-0 friendly win over Slovakia. It is hence no surprise that clubs of the pedigree of Barcelona and Real Madrid are in the scene to sign the striker.
