Eduardo Camavinga could be one of Real Madrid’s top transfer targets this summer, but how much do Rennes want for the teenage defensive midfielder?
In Casemiro, Real Madrid have the world’s best defensive midfielder. It’s a standard he’s set over the years and one he entrenched in the 2019-2020 season as Los Merengues’ most impressive player. If defensive midfielders received more love, then Casemiro would be recognized as the second-best player in La Liga behind Lionel Messi.
That said, Real Madrid don’t have a true backup for Casemiro. Their only other midfielder who has significant energy and defensive capabilities, Fede Valverde, is a box-to-box midfielder. He’s best as a No. 8 next to Casemiro, as he loves to start counterattacks and attack up the pitch.
So Los Blancos could be in the market for a backup to Casemiro, who was used a little too heavily in the 2019-2020 season.
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They have Antonio Blanco in Castilla, but Real should probably go for a stronger, younger player as a backup option to the world’s best. And the ideal option looks like Rennes’ Eduardo Camavinga.
However, Camavinga won’t be cheap. Rennes know that he’s the most valuable player under the age of 18 in the world. Transfermarkt has him valued at 42 million euros.
Of course, Rennes should ask for significantly more than that for the 17-year-old, who is already one of the best players in the world at his position. He was a stalwart in Ligue 1 this season, even shutting down top-quality opponents on PSG.
According to a report from AS, Rennes will ask for 60 million euros from interested teams.
It’s a high price, but it’s a reasonable one for a player like Camavinga. He’s on a trajectory to be a generational talent in the middle of the park.
Per AS, Borussia Dortmund are prepared to offer 50 million euros for Camavinga in the summer. With Jadon Sancho most likely gone and Erling Braut Haaland potentially on the move, BVB will have plenty of funds to spend on more young talent. As Sancho’s and Haaland’s rise to fame have shown, Dortmund is the best place in the world for a young player to become a superstar.
Dortmund could really use a defensive midfielder like Camavinga, even if they have Axel Witsel and Emre Can. Since Can can play at center back and BVB’s defense remains a huge weakness, they should not be overlooked.
But Dortmund don’t like to get in bidding wars, especially with clubs like Real Madrid that have more resources than them.
Real Madrid are the favorites to land Camavinga. He’s good enough to play for them, but is he too good to sit behind Casemiro? How do Real balance them? These are the important questions to ask, but if both parties want to make a move, it should get done.