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Earlier this month, Real Madrid signed Luka Jović for a fee believed to be around £53m. Before we even get into the move, can we give a round of applause to Eintracht Frankfurt who signed the youngster for just £6.2m last April? They’ve just reported back a 900% profit!
The 21-year-old has been one of the hottest commodities in world football and the rumours surrounding him and Madrid inevitably began well before the end of the season. The Serbian impressed the world with his performances in the Bundesliga, scoring 27 goals in 48 games for Eintracht Frankfurt. Now the Spanish giants have tied him down to a six-year contract in the hope that he’ll continue his impressive exploits.
Real Madrid may have spent significant money on the youngster, but the 21-year-old is not the guaranteed answer to Madrid’s extensive problems. Los Blancos’ issues run deeper than what can be solved by just the signing of the Serbian striker.
Here are 3 reasons why Jović is not the sure-shot solution for Real Madrid that many believe he is:
#3 He can't be expected to fill Ronaldo's boots
It’s a travesty that Florentino Perez let his greatest ever player leave the Bernabéu. Regardless of the circumstances, Perez should have broken the bank to keep the world’s best player in Spain.
The Portuguese’s influence at the club went far beyond the pitch. Of course, his goalscoring record was unparalleled, but it was his mentality in big games that carried his teammates through to a hat-trick of UCL titles.
This season, Madrid struggled big time without him, falling 19 points behind league champions Barcelona and getting knocked out of the UCL earlier than usual.
It’d be unfair to think that a young Luka Jović could ever fill the shoes of a 5-time Ballon d’Or winner. Such mentality and influence cannot be replicated, and Madrid fans will be utterly disappointed if they believe they’ve found their new Cristiano Ronaldo.
Ronaldo had the ability to produce moments of magic by himself; Jović will be much more reliant on those around him.
#2 His presence might unsettle Karim Benzema
Karim Benzema was literally Madrid’s go-to guy this season. With Ronaldo at Juventus and Gareth Bale not at his best, Benzema had no choice but to be the focal point of his team’s attack.
He didn’t replicate Ronaldo’s form, but he performed adequately. The Frenchman scored 29 goals in 49 appearances, making him the club’s top scorer.
Now that Luka Jović has entered the frame, Benzema could find himself spending more time on the bench than he wants. At 31 years of age, Benzema’s peak years are rapidly coming to an end and Jović’s six-year contract suggests he’s here to replace the Frenchman.
Competition for places often breeds an increase in performance quality. But considering Benzema’s well-known sensitive nature, this could, instead, bring the worst out of him.
He’s been Real Madrid’s main striker for close to a decade; how will he react to the future firmly staring him in the face?
#1 No end to defensive issues
Real Madrid’s most damning flaw last season was their inability to keep a clean sheet. Los Blancos conceded goals from all angles throughout the season, regardless of the quality of opponent.
The former European Champions conceded a whopping 71 goals, losing 18 matches across the campaign. Goals win games, defences win titles, and Real Madrid barely competed in any of their four tournaments due to their porous defence.
Despite being the most famous defender on the planet, Sergio Ramos is by no means the best CB in world football. His irrational decisions, hot-headed tackles and inability to organise a back line have been severely exposed this season.
Alongside Ramos, Raphael Varane has failed to improve on his previous promising campaigns. Meanwhile Marcelo’s lack of interest in playing for the club has been evident through his performances.
Real Madrid are in need of a massive overhaul, but the signing of Luka Jović is not where that overhaul needs to start.
