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Real Madrid confirmed that they have secured the services of Eintracht Frankfurt forward Luka Jovic. Los Blancos paid around €60 million for Jovic and the player is set to sign a 6-year deal with his new club.
Jovic enjoyed a meteoric rise to fame during his tenure in Bundesliga. The 21-year-old was unable to make his mark at Benfica before he was eventually loaned to Frankfurt last summer. Jovic took the German top flight by storm, ending up with 27 goals and 7 assists in all competitions in 2018/19 campaign.
Owing to his exploits in front of goal, Frankfurt made the loan move permanent as Jovic was one of the most sought-after players in Europe. At just 21, the striker is already being hailed as the next big thing due to his efficiency in front of goal. There is little doubt about the fact that top clubs including Barcelona were interested in signing the player.
Los Blancos were desperate to secure the services of the Serbian and his inclusion from the next season will be a huge boost for them. There is no doubt that Jovic will be a huge threat to the opposition if he keeps honing his skill set.
Without further ado, let us evaluate why the transfer of Luka Jovic to Real Madrid is likely to be a massive success in the near future.
#3 Youth prospect
Luka Jovic ended up with 17 goals in the Bundesliga, jointly third with Marco Reus and Wout Weghorst in the top scorers' list. The Serbian sharpshooter is still only 21 and if he keeps improving at this rate, he might become one of the top goalscorers in the world in the near future.
Real Madrid are already investing in youth prospects as evident with players like Marco Asensio, Ceballos, Vinicius and Rodrygo joining the club. A player like Karim Benzema is on the wrong side of 30, which is why a prospect like Jovic remains pivotal for the future of the club.
If Jovic fulfills his potential and Madrid manages to hold on to him, Madrid's attack will be in safe hands for a long time.
#2 Playing style
It goes without saying that Jovic has proven his caliber consistently in the recently concluded campaign. He is lethal on the edge of the box and composed in front of goal - something Real Madrid lacked throughout the 2018/19 campaign.
Since Cristiano Ronaldo's departure, it is crystal clear that Los Blancos have struggled to score despite Benzema's brilliance. Jovic is intelligent off the ball which helps him defeat his marker and he is also capable of scoring with any part of his body. He can shoot the ball well with his both feet and he is also a great header of the ball despite being a bit short in stature.
During Zinedine Zidane's first stint, the Spanish giants seemed comfortable switching their tactics. Jovic will be the perfect target if Madrid relies on crosses and long balls but the Serbian ace can drop deep to link up when required. Jovic can also co-exist with Benzema if Madrid uses 4-4-2 formation in the upcoming season.
It goes without saying that Jovic ticks all the boxes but it remains to be seen how the player settles into the team during the initial months.
#1 A long-term solution
Karim Benzema has been the mainstay in Los Blancos' forward line for almost a decade now. Although he enjoyed a stellar season, Benzema has struggled with consistency in front of goal over the years. Ronaldo was the team's main goalscorer before he left Spain to join Juventus last summer and Madrid were in dire need of a goalscorer like Jovic.
Moreover, the French forward is not getting any younger which is why Madrid needed a proper striker who can step up in the upcoming seasons. Mariano Diaz, who was brought back last summer, looked far from convincing and one can argue that he does not have the potential to lead the attack in the future.
Jovic provides a long-term solution considering his age. He increases the depth of the squad immensely and he can become the team's main goalscorer if he keeps performing well.
