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Real Madrid return to action in La Liga on Sunday (April 2) against Real Valladolid at the Santiago Bernabeu. Carlo Ancelotti's team are second in the league after 26 games, 12 points behind Barcelona.
Meanwhile, Los Blancos remain keen to sign Manchester City striker Erling Haaland. Elsewhere, midfielder Luka Modric wants to extend his stay at the Santiago Bernabeu.
On that note, here's a look at the key Real Madrid transfer stories as on March 29, 2023:
Real Madrid remain keen on Erling Haaland
Real Madrid are likely to remain on the hunt for Erling Haaland, according to journalist Dean Jones.
The Norwegian striker has been a rage since joining Manchester City last summer, amassing 42 goals and five assists in 37 games across competitions. Los Blancos have identified him as a replacement for Karim Benzema and could move for him in the summer of 2024.
Haaland's contract with the reigning English champions runs till 2027, and the club are reportedly working on handing him a fat raise. Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jones said that the Norwegian is likely to sign a one-year extension with City if they offer him £500,000 per week.
"It’s still expected that Real Madrid will try to get him at some point. They’ll also be looking at the Kylian Mbappe situation all the time and wondering what’s going on there and whether Real Madrid are still going to be interested in signing him. That being said, I think if Man City are genuinely offering Haaland a £500,000-a-week contract, then he'll sign it," said Jones.
Madrid have also been linked with Paris Saint-Germain striker Kylian Mbappe and could plan to team up the Frenchman with Haaland to form a super team.
Luka Modric wants to stay
Luka Modric wants to sign a new deal with Real Madrid, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano. The Croatian midfielder is in the final few months of his contract but is yet to extend his stay. Los Blancos are expected to keep him at the Santiago Bernabeu for at least another year.
In his column for CBS Sports, Romano said that the final decision on Modric's future will be taken by club president Florentino Perez.
"Luka Modric's plans are clear -- the Croatian star only wants to stay at Real Madrid with a one-year deal expected. He confirmed this in public but also already told the club in the first conversations. The decision is up to Florentino Perez," wrote Romano.
He continued:
"It must be remembered that Toni Kroos has not yet decided whether to retire or continue at Real for another year while the club continue to insist on signing Jude Bellingham in a race that remains open with Manchester City and Liverpool."
Modric continues to be indispensable for Carlo Ancelotti at the Santiago Bernabeu. He has appeared 37 times across competitions this season, registering six goals and five assists.
Los Blancos receive Julian Nagelsmann boost
Real Madrid have received a boost in their plans to appoint Julian Nagelsmann as Carlo Ancelotti's successor, according to BILD via The Real Champs.
The Italian manager is under pressure at the Santiago Bernabeu following a string of indifferent results. He's also being courted by the Brazilian national side and could part ways with Los Blancos this summer.
Madrid have reportedly identified Nagelsmann as a possible replacement for Ancelotti. The German was recently sacked by Bayern Munich, and Tottenham Hotspur are eager to station him as Antonio Conte's replacement. However, Nagelsmann wants to take a break and assess his time at the Allianz Arena and is not interested in taking charge of Spurs right now.
That could work to the advantage of Madrid, who will only consider replacements for Ancelotti in the summer. Nagelsmann won three trophies with Bayern in his one-and-a-half-year stint, winning 60 of his 84 games in charge.
