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Real Madrid face Espanyol at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday (March 11) in La Liga. Carlo Ancelotti’s team are second in the league, nine points behind leaders Barcelona after 24 games.
Meanwhile, former Los Blancos forward Jese Rodriguez reckons the club might not return for Kylian Mbappe. Elsewhere, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has said that Eden Hazard is likely to leave the La Liga giants this summer.
On that note, here's a look at the key Real Madrid transfer stories as on March 7, 2023:
Real Madrid backed to end Kylian Mbappe pursuit
Jese Rodriguez reckons Real Madrid could refuse to return for Kylian Mbappe in the future.
The French forward was very close to arriving at the Santiago Bernabeu last summer but opted to sign an extension with Paris Saint-Germain instead, leaving Los Blancos frustrated. He continues to be linked with a move away from the Parc des Princes, with the La Liga giants reportedly still interested.
Speaking recently to Cadena SER, as cited by Managing Madrid, Jese said that his former club should sign Mbappe simply due to his talent.
“I don’t know. Knowing Florentino Perez, maybe Real Madrid will refuse to sign him; he surely didn’t like what happened. I don’t know. If I were to look at Mbappe as a president or as a club owner, it would depend on the players I had and also the market. If I just look at the talent, I would try to sign him, no question,” said Jese.
The Spanish player also believes Real Madrid cannot be ruled out of the title race yet, but he admits it will be tough for his former side.
“You can never think Real Madrid are dead, but it’s very tough, not going to lie. Barcelona look strong,” said Jese.
Los Blancos have won 16 and lost three of their 24 league games this season.
Eden Hazard expected to leave
Fabrizio Romano expects Eden Hazard to leave Real Madrid at the end of the season. The Belgian forward has endured a difficult time since arriving at the Santiago Bernabeu in 2019. He's now a peripheral figure at the club and is not part of the plans for the future.
In his column for Caught Offside, Romano said that the player’s entourage will talk to the club soon to clear the path for his exit.
“Talks will take place in the next weeks between Real Madrid and Eden Hazard’s camp — his last appearance in La Liga was on September 11. The feeling internally is for Hazard to leave the club in the summer, in case of good bid/opportunity. It’s likely that only a managerial change can change the situation of Hazard, because at the moment the idea is clear for him to be on the market,” wrote Romano.
Romano added that Hazard wants to leave in search of regular football.
“Wherever it will be, I’m sure Hazard wants to play. He wants to be a regular starter, find good game time, be part of the starting XI. This is crucial for him, more than what league or country he is in. There will be a meeting with Real Madrid to discuss his future soon,” wrote Romano.
He concluded:
“It’s an important summer for Real Madrid, but this will be decided once manager situation will be clear. Now they are 100% focused on the current season, this is how Real Madrid work.”
Hazard has registered just seven appearances across competitions for Los Blancos this season, scoring once.
Los Blancos identify Mauricio Pochettino as Carlo Ancelotti replacement
Real Madrid are ready to turn to Mauricio Pochettino if Carlo Ancelotti leaves, according to Defensa Central via The Hard Tackle.
The Italian manager is under increasing pressure at the Santiago Bernabeu following a string of less than impressive results. Los Blancos have already fallen behind in the title race this season and also lost the Supercopa de Espana final to their bitter rivals Barcelona.
While his team have a healthy 5-2 lead over Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16, Ancelotti’s position continues to be under scrutiny.
If the Italian fails to win the league and falters in Europe, he could lose his job. In such a scenario, the Spanish giants could look to replace Ancelotti with Pochettino. The Argentinean has not held a managerial position since parting ways with PSG last summer.
