Carlo Ancelotti reportedly wants Real Madrid to sign Samuele Ricci if they cannot secure the services of Jude Bellingham.
According to a report by Tuttosport, as relayed by Defensa Central, Samuele Ricci is the subject of interest from Real Madrid. Carlo Ancelotti is keen on having the 21-year-old Torino midfielder in his squad. But the youngster is currently a contingency option if the Merengues fail to land their top targets.
Samuele Ricci spent his formative years with Empoli, going through the ranks at the Florence-based club before making his first-team debut a few years ago. But he has risen in prominence since joining Torino last year. The Italian midfielder initially spent six months on loan at the Turin-based outfit before joining them permanently in July 2022.
The 21-year-old has not been the undisputed first-choice midfielder for Torino this season. But he has featured regularly, turning out 24 times while chipping in with a goal and an assist apiece. And Ricci’s progress has captured the attention of Carlo Ancelotti, who wants Real Madrid to sign the youngster.
Real Madrid will likely enter the market to bolster the midfield unit in the summer transfer window. That is because Luka Modric and Toni Kroos are on their last legs in their professional careers. In addition, Dani Ceballos is yet to sign a new contract with Real Madrid, with his current deal running out this summer.
So it behoves Real Madrid to delve into the market for a midfield reinforcement. Jude Bellingham has thus emerged as a viable target for Los Blancos. But recent reports have suggested that he is closer to joining Manchester City instead of Real Madrid. So the Merengues need to identify the contingency targets if they fail to sign Bellingham.
Several players, including Khephren Thuram, have thus emerged on Real Madrid’s radar over a possible move in the summer transfer window. But Carlo Ancelotti wants Los Blancos to pursue Ricci if they fail to sign Bellingham.
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But the 21-year-old is primarily a defensive midfielder. So he might be an alternative to Aurelien Tchouameni. That might be fine, considering Eduardo Camavinga and Federico Valverde revel in more advanced roles. However, it will be interesting to see if the Italian midfielder becomes a top target for Real Madrid.
