Real Madrid turn to Bundesliga youngster in hunt for Benzema’s long-term heir
Robin Bairner
- 30 Jul 2022 17:39 BST
- 3 min read
Real Madrid’s hunt for a centre-forward has seen them turn towards Bayer Leverkusen attacker Iker Bravo, according to AS.
Although Los Blancos missed out on the signing of Kylian Mbappe from PSG earlier this summer, they have not sought to spend big on an alternative.
Instead, Real Madrid’s transfer plan is that they build a long-term succession plan for their aging first-team members, in this case Karim Benzema.
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Beyond the France international, head coach Carlo Ancelotti has few legitimate options in the No.9 role and has even experimented with playing winger Eden Hazard in the role during pre-season friendlies.
AS reports, however, that the 17-year-old Iker Bravo is a target for Madrid after the Spain Under-19 international impressed in the Bundesliga U19 West last season, in which he scored four goals and created three more in just 12 matches. Furthermore, he has experience, albeit in the form of just 11 Bundesliga minutes and 19 more in the DFB Pokal.
“We have had discussions with him,” Gerardo Seoane confirmed. “I would like him to stay but if the club and the player feels that another solution would be beneficial to his development at the moment, we would have to think about it.”
Real Madrid are not, apparently, considering a permanent move for Iker Bravo for the moment, with AS suggesting that they will instead propose a loan with an option to buy.
Iker Blanco fits Real Madrid’s strategy
Iker Blanco would be a transfer typical of those that Real Madrid have sought to conduct in recent seasons.
Although they spent big on Edouard Camavinga last summer and Aurelien Tchouameni this year, signing them respectively from Rennes and Monaco, both were added with designs on the long term. They are the heirs to Luka Modric, Toni Kroos and Casemiro, all of whom are over 30.
A similar player is needed in attack, where Karim Benzema is also in the twilight of his career, despite coming off the best season of his life in 2021/22.
Blanco, therefore, fits the profile of a Real Madrid signing perfectly.
