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Real Madrid needed an 83rd-minute winner from Karim Benzema to secure all three points against Rayo Vallecano in La Liga on Saturday. The win strengthened Carlo Ancelotti's bid to secure his first La Liga trophy, with Madrid now leading second-placed Sevilla by six points.
Meanwhile, Los Blancos are keeping a close eye on Jude Bellingham. Elsewhere, the La Liga giants are contemplating the sale of Ferland Mendy.
On that note, here's a look at the key Real Madrid transfer stories as on 27th February 2022:
Real Madrid monitoring Jude Bellingham
Real Madrid are keeping a close eye on Jude Bellingham, according to The Hard Tackle via Defensa Central. The English midfielder is an up-and-coming star of European football. So La Liga giants Madrid are interested in adding him to their roster.
Bellingham rose to prominence with Birmingham City, earning a transfer to Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2020. He has lived up to expectations since then, and has been outstanding for the Bundesliga side so far.
The Englishman has taken his game to a higher level this season, scoring six times and setting up 12 more from 33 games across competitions. That has drawn the attention of Los Blancos.
The La Liga giants are not short of talent in the middle of the park. Ancelotti already has a settled midfield trio of Toni Kroos, Luka Modric and Casemiro in his arsenal. However, with all three players on the wrong side of 30, the Spanish giants are laying down succession plans for the future.
The manager has prepared a shortlist containing names like Ryan Gravenberch, Khephren Thuram and Aurelien Tchouameni.
The Englishman is the latest player to be added to that wish list. Real Madrid believe Bellingham could be a fabulous successor to Modric.
The Croatian has been outstanding for the La Liga giants, and despite turning 36 last September, has shown no signs of slowing down. Bellingham has the qualities to fill Modric's shoes. The 18-year-old has an eye for passes, and also knows his way to the goal, making him ideal for the role.
However, Los Blancos could face competition from the likes of Manchester United, Manchester City and Liverpool for Bellingham's services. Dortmund are also expected to ask for at least €150 million to part ways with their prized asset.
Los Blancos contemplating Ferland Mendy sale
Real Madrid could offload Ferland Mendy this summer, according to The Hard Tackle via SPORT.
The French left-back has been an assured presence at the back since arriving at the Santiago Bernabeu in 2019. The 26-year-old has appeared 94 times for the La Liga giants across competitions, scoring four goals and setting up six more. He continues to be an integral part of Ancelotti’s plans.
However, the player’s demand for a wage hike, despite being on a long-term contract (till 2025), has left the Los Blancos hierarchy unimpressed. The La Liga giants are now considering the prospect of selling the Frenchman at the end of the season. Real Madrid are already linked with a host of left-backs, so a move could materialsze if Mendy is offloaded this summer.
Carlo Ancelotti happy with team's performance
Carlo Ancelotti was pleased with Real Madrid's performance against Rayo Vallecano. Los Blancos eked out a hard-fought win on Saturday despite not being at their scintillating best.
Speaking after the game, the Italian lauded the efforts of his team.
“I'm very satisfied with the work, commitment and intensity put into the game. It was a game that saw us need to be competitive in a lot of ways. I'm very, very pleased. It's a tough place to play because of the atmosphere, because of the pitch, but we did very well,” said Ancelotti.
The Italian continued:
"I don't think many teams have won here. Especially not comfortably. I could be wrong, but I don't see any negatives today. I'm very happy. Sometimes you fail, but the important thing is to try, and we tried everything we could today."
Real Madrid's La Liga win will make Ancelotti the first manager to win league titles in five different countries. The Italian has triumphed in four of Europe's top-five leagues thus far.
