Real Madrid defender Rafa Marin has reportedly emerged as a transfer target for German club RB Leipzig ahead of the summer transfer window.
According to Calciomercato, Real Madrid youngster Rafa Marin has popped up on the radars of Bundesliga outfit RB Leipzig, who are on the lookout for defensive reinforcements in the summer.
Marin joined Real Madrid’s academy in 2016 from Sevilla and has made rapid strides over the years within the youth ranks. Currently part of the Merengues’ Castilla setup, the 19-year-old has featured 21 times for Raul Gonzalez’s side. The centre-back has yet to make his first-team debut for the Spanish capital club, but he has made it to the bench on a few occasions this season.
Marin is held in high regard within the club, but his contract with Real Madrid stands to expire at the end of the 2022/23 season. And RB Leipzig are now considering making a swoop for his signing in the summer transfer window.
The Bundesliga outfit signed Mohamed Simakan and Josko Gvardiol last summer to replace Ibrahima Konate and Dayot Upamecano, who left for Liverpool and Bayern Munich, respectively.
However, they could be poised to lose another centre-back this year as Gvardiol is attracting a lot of interest from clubs in Europe. In particular, Premier League outfit Tottenham Hotspur have shown a lot of keenness to land the 20-year-old, making him a priority target for the summer transfer window.
In case Leipzig end up losing him, the Saxony-based outfit will need a new player to replace him, which could explain their interest in Marin. However, signing him might not prove to be easy as Real Madrid are believed to be planning to promote him to the first-team setup for next season, as per a report from MARCA.
Jesus Vallejo is expected to depart in the summer, having failed to find favour under manager Carlo Ancelotti. Marin could become the fourth-choice centre-back at the Santiago Bernabeu in such a scenario. However, Los Blancos are reportedly looking for more defensive reinforcements, having been linked with the likes of Antonio Rudiger and Jules Kounde, among others.