Milan’s Rafael Leao
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti understands that in order to compete for titles this season, his team needs another No. 9, as Karim Benzema has had his limitations due to injuries.
So to overcome the issue, SPORT has reported that Ancelotti has convinced Florentino Perez to rope in a new striker in January and for that, Milan’s Rafael Leao is thought to be topping the list.
Ancelotti thinks the team is going through a rough patch in terms of having a striker. Now, the likes of Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo haven’t put a foot wrong, but the manager cannot rely on them to lead the line as they get the best out of themselves from wide areas.
The management is aware of the idea that it will be difficult for them to compete with Barcelona for the league without a firm investment. And to head into the second half of the competition with only one striker also puts the defence of their Champions League crown in jeopardy.
Now, the dependency on Karim Benzema is not a secret and Madrid need to get out of the situation quickly, mostly because the French forward is already 34 and has missed several matches through injuries already.
SPORT says the team from Madrid have marked several players who they will be watching at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. One of them is Rafael Leao who is having another brilliant season at Milan.
The 23-year-old Portugal forward has scored seven goals followed by nine assists across all competitions and has combined extremely well with Olivier Giroud this season. The idea to shortlist Leao comes from the fact that his contract with Milan ends in 2024 and so far the player has not signed a reneal
Meanwhile, another player the management will keep an eye on is Inter forward Lautaro Martinez.
It is understood that Madrid wants to invest some capital but do not intend to spend a fortune. For now, their scouts will do extensive research at the World Cup to see if they can unearth an unexpected surprise.
[Source: madriduniversal.com]