“His quality is out of this world” – Rodrygo names ex-Real Madrid defender as player who impressed him most after Santiago Bernabeu move

Rodrygo has singled out former Real Madrid defender Marcelo as the player who left an indelible impression on him. Sitting down for an intimate discussion, Rodrygo shed light on the Brazilian legend who now plays for Fluminense after a long spell at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Speaking to MARCA (via Madrid Universal), he said:

“It’s nice to see Marcelo play. It’s one of the most impressive things I’ve seen. His quality is out of this world. When I arrived at Real Madrid he impressed me. When Camavinga arrived we used to do rondos and every day Marcelo would dink over him."

Marcelo's legendary stint with Los Blancos concluded last summer, drawing the curtains on a remarkable chapter that spanned over 15 impactful years. Commencing his illustrious journey in early 2007, Marcelo wove his magic on the left side of the Santiago Bernabeu, becoming one of the most successful players at left-back.

The Brazilian virtuoso won regular La Liga titles and UEFA Champions League trophies. There is no question about Marcelo's place in the annals of Real Madrid's history; he is indeed one of the greats to have donned the white jersey.

The numbers speak for themselves: Marcelo's career at Madrid was nothing short of phenomenal. Based on Transfermarkt data, he made a staggering 546 appearances for Los Blancos, scoring 38 goals and providing 103 assists.

---

Real Madrid eye Dusan Vlahovic as Karim Benzema's departure leaves striker void

Karim Benzema parted ways with Real Madrid at the end of the season to join Al-Ittihad in an unexpected move. Consequently, Los Blancos find themselves in a predicament, lacking their primary goal scorer who, for the past five seasons, was the fulcrum of their attacking prowess.

With the need for a new leading striker more pressing than ever, the spotlight has shifted towards formidable Serbian Dusan Vlahovic. According to The Real Champs, the forward has emerged as a potential target for the Spanish giants, heavily rumored to be on their radar for the forthcoming season.

Football journalist Fabrizio Romano stirred the pot further, tweeting out that Juventus have tabled a transfer bid for Chelsea's Romelu Lukaku. Interestingly, this offer is contingent on Juventus parting ways with Vlahovic.

The scenario indicates Juventus' openness to Vlahovic's potential exit after an underwhelming stint in Turin, where he failed to live up to the high expectations set for him. As per Transfermarkt, Vlahovic has found the back of the net 23 times and provided six assists in a total of 63 appearances for the Old Lady post his £62.8m move from Fiorentina in January 2022.

The striker's potential move to Real Madrid might be the change of scenery he needs to revitalize his career. For Los Blancos, he could be the fresh blood they need to invigorate their front line.

Los Blancos have already splashed the cash on signing Jude Bellingham from Borussia Dortmund this summer, paying a massive €105m for his transfer. They are also reportedly working on a deal to sign Kylian Mbappe, who has one year left on his Paris-Saint Germain contract.