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What's the story?
According to reports from Spanish media outlet Marca, Eintracht Frankfurt want Los Blancos ace Mariano Diaz included in the deal if Madrid sign star striker Luka Jovic.
In case you didn't know...
Luka Jovic is one of the hottest properties in Europe after enjoying a stellar campaign with Frankfurt. Jovic has netted 26 goals in this campaign - 17 of them coming in the Bundesliga which makes him the second highest scorer in the league behind only Robert Lewandowski. The Serbian striker has also provided 7 assists in the campaign so far for Frankfurt.
The 21-year-old has played a pivotal role for Frankfurt, who are eyeing a Champions League spot in the Bundesliga table and also enjoying a sensational run in the Europa League. Jovic has scored 9 goals in the Europa League and his latest goal came against Chelsea in the first leg of the semifinals. Jovic was on loan from Benfica but Frankfurt finalized a permanent move for him a month ago.
On the other hand, Real Madrid are enduring an abysmal outing which saw them sacking two coaches in the same season. Madrid brought Mariano Diaz from Lyon after the departure of their greatest goalscorer Cristiano Ronaldo but the Spaniard has played only 656 minutes so far this season.
The heart of the matter
It is an open secret that the Spanish giants are desperate to bring world-class reinforcements and Luka Jovic is one of the names on their shortlist. Madrid are leading the race to land the Serbian ace amid interest from European heavyweights.
According to the report, Frankfurt wants Mariano included in the deal if Madrid want to secure Jovic's transfer. But the transfer fee for both players would be negotiated in an independent manner.
Meanwhile, Zinedine Zidane himself doesn't trust Mariano and the club are willing to listen to offers around €20 million. The move seems ideal for both parties as Mariano can get much needed minutes on the pitch whereas Jovic's dream of playing with Real Madrid would be fulfilled.
What's next?
Real Madrid will face Villareal next in La Liga.
