From David Alaba to Fabian Ruiz, Real Madrid and Barcelona look set to compete for several big names on the summer transfer market.
There’s no doubt that both Real Madrid and FC Barcelona could use another forward who can put the ball in the back of the net at the high rate, with the issue being an even more pressing one for Los Blancos.
Both La Liga powerhouses were once again trading blows at the top of the table, and while Real convincingly defeated Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu in March’s Clasico, it is La Blaugrana who sit at the top of the league table.
Real need to sign a top scoring forward this summer, but their options could be severely restricted. Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland are their dream targets, but the young superstars may not be up for sale this year.
Therefore, Los Blancos may have to turn their attention to other options, such as Liverpool’s Sadio Mane, but there’s no guarantee he’ll be available either.
However, it’s safe to say that RB Leipzig’s Timo Werner, who reached new heights as a player under Julian Nagelsmann’s leadership last season, will be available. Liverpool and Bayern Munich have long been the favorites to land him, but watch out for La Liga’s top clubs.
According to Goal.com Bundesliga journalist Ronan Murphy, his colleagues at the site in Spain report that both Real Marid and Barcelona view Werner as a “Plan B” if they are unable to land their top targets.
It’s unclear who those top targets are. For Real, the assumption is Mbappe and Haaland, while for Barcelona, Jadon Sancho and Lautaro Martinez look like favored options.
Werner is coming off a tremendous season with 21 goals and seven assists in 25 appearances. He was second in the league in scoring behind Bayern’s Robert Lewandowski and second in total goal contributions behind Sancho’s 29.
A special player with great pace, improving tactical awareness, and lethal finishing, Werner could be an ideal starter for either team with his versatility to shine in a wide or central role. He could be an especially good fit for Real Madrid as a link-up with Karim Benzema and Eden Hazard, since Zinedine Zidane appears to want to move towards more counterattacking.