Real Madrid want teenage sensation more than Paul Pogba

Real Madrid are in the market for another center midfielder next summer, and it sounds like Florentino Perez is wisely prioritizing a younger and more robust defensive option than the usual candidates.

Over the past several months, Real Madrid have been linked to Fabian Ruiz, Paul Pogba, Donny van de Beek, Christian Eriksen, Bruno Fernandes, Eduardo Camavinga, and Boubakary Soumare.

Although they are deep at center midfield with Isco, Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, Fede Valverde, Casemiro, James Rodriguez, and Marco Asensio occupying various positions in the middle of the park, the club has their eyes on one more impact player.

Eriksen and Pogba have been the most closely linked to Real, but they are more attacking-minded players. Los Blancos already have a number of excellent attacking midfielders, especially Kroos, who leads all Champions League players in key passes.

Therefore, it’s a positive to see L’Equipe report, via @Ultra_Suristic on Twitter, that Florentino Perez prefers Rennes 17-year-old defensive midfielder Eduardo Camavgina over Paul Pogba.

Because of his incredible technical ability, genius vision as a passer, and fit for a counterattacking side, Pogba is Zinedine Zidane‘s preferred option. He is a world-class player who could be a Ballon d’Or candidate at Real Madrid after toiling away at the incompetently-run Manchester United, but he also comes at a massive price due to the Red Devils’ desperation.

Camavinga, meanwhile, is the next big thing. Even at the age of 17, he’s already been one of the best defensive midfielders in all of Europe. He’s had some massive performances, including a shutdown display against PSG’s high-priced attack.

Real Madrid need help behind Casemiro, who has been an absolute workhorse and the best holding midfielder in world football this season. Camavinga would give Casemiro rest and could eventually develop into his successor. And while Rennes will make sure such a promising player doesn’t come cheap, Camavinga would still cost half of what Pogba would.

So Perez, as usual, is right on the money if he is indeed looking at Camavinga more closely. And given how well Fede Valverde has played as a box-to-box midfielder and a future superstar in his own right, Perez already sees Valverde as the better option over Pogba.

If it comes down to Zidane vs. Perez over Pogba, look for Perez to win this battle. Camavinga is a better fit for what Real Madrid need, and their effort to prioritize signing young, up-and-coming stars is clearly paying off. Just look at what Valverde, Martin Odegaard, Ferland Mendy, Eder Militao, Achraf Hakimi, Rodrygo, Vinicius Junior, and others are accomplishing.