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Real Madrid travel to the Olympiastadion on Tuesday (December 12) to face Union Berlin in their final UEFA Champions League group-stage game. Carlo Ancelotti's team have won Group C with five wins in as many games to seal their berth in the knockouts.
Meanwhile, PSG striker Kylian Mbappe has come to a decision regarding his future. Elsewhere, Los Blancos are interested in Aston Villa midfielder Youri Tielemans.
On that note, here's a look at the key Real Madrid transfer stories as on December 12, 2023:
Kylian Mbappe makes Real Madrid decision
Kylian Mbappe has decided that he wants to join Real Madrid next year, according to journalist Tomas Gonzalez-Martin.
The French superstar is a long-term target for the La Liga giants, who were close to signing the player in the summer of 2022. However, Mbappe had a change of heart in the eleventh hour and opted to sign an extension with Paris Saint-Germain.
That decision has come back to haunt the 24-year-old, who has seen the likes of Erling Haaland and Vinicius Junior achieve greater success in recent seasons. Mbappe's contract with the Parisians expires at the end of this season, and he's unwilling to repeat his previous mistake.
With Los Blancos still interested, the Frenchman has decided to draw his Paris chapter to a close and move to the Santiago Bernabeu. Real Madrid, once bitten twice shy, are approaching the situation with caution.
Mbappe remains a dream signing for the club, and they want to get things sorted as soon as possible. According to AS, Los Blancos will give the player until the middle of January to commit himself to the club. As things stand, Mbappe is likely to comply.
Los Blancos eyeing Youri Tielemans
Real Madrid are interested in Youri Tielemans, according to Defensa Central. The Belgian midfielder was available on a Bosman move this summer, but Los Blancos opted not to take up the option.
Tielemans eventually joined Aston Villa as a free agent and has done well. He has appeared 24 times across competitions under Unai Emery, starting 11.
The La Liga giants remain in the market for midfield reinforcements, amid the uncertain futures of Toni Kroos and Luka Modric. Despite having the likes of Eduardo Camavinga, Jude Bellingham, Aurelien Tchouameni and Federico Valverde, Real Madrid want another midfielder.
They have their eyes on Tielemans. The 26-year-old's contract with the Villans runs till 2027.
Lucas Vazquez heaps praise on Jude Bellingham
Lucas Vazquez is hoping that Jude Bellingham can emulate Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema's exploits at Real Madrid.
The English midfielder arrived at the Santiago Bernabeu this summer from Borussia Dortmund in a reported €103 million deal. Bellingham has been a revelation for the La Liga giants, scoring 16 goals and setting up four in 18 outings across competitions.
Speaking to the press, as cited by Madrid Universal, Vazquez also praised the 20-year-old for putting in a shift on the pitch.
"What a player, eh! We’re all delighted with him, from the first day we’ve seen what a player he is, how much he helps the team. Goals do a lot, but he works as hard as anyone. He enjoys Real Madrid,” said Vazquez.
He continued:
"Bellingham’s start is impressive. We will try to help him so that he can continue in this vein for many years to come. We’re talking about Karim and Cris, two Madrid legends. Hopefully, he can get close to them.”
Bellingham won the Kopa Trophy this year.
