Real Madrid right winger Lucas Vazquez will always be a fan favorite due to his undying dedication to the team.
This summer, Real Madrid will have to make difficult decisions in order to raise funds. They have to balance out the impact of COVID-19 on their finances, and they also need to save up for 2021 when they make an all-important bid for PSG superstar Kylian Mbappe.
James Rodriguez and Gareth Bale are among the easier decisions to put up for sale. Young players like Achraf Hakimi have already been sold, and the likes of Oscar Rodriguez and Borja Mayoral are soon to follow. Luka Jovic, Sergio Reguilon, and more could become tough decisions if the right offer comes across Florentino Perez’s table.
But one player is in an especially interesting situation. Lucas Vazquez is not a key player in the squad in terms of ability or playing time, but his versatility and work ethic make him unique and important in his own way. He’s been floated around alongside Bale and James as veteran attackers who could be sold to make money, but unlike those two, Zinedine Zidane loves Vazquez and has a role for him.
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According to a report from Sergio Lopez de Vicente of AS, Lucas Vazquez wants to sign an extension with Real Madrid. His current contract expires after the 2020-2021 season, so he would need to extend quickly in order to stay.
Vazquez plays on the right wing, but that is a position currently filled by Marco Asensio when Zidane uses a 4-3-3-. Rodrygo Goes is also preferred to Vazquez, who isn’t a viable option in the starting XI for Real Madrid. And there are better players on the bench.
But Vazquez was the team’s backup right back when La Liga returned, as Real Madrid did not have Nacho Fernandez healthy and had already loaned Alvaro Odriozola to Bayern Munich. So with no true backup right back for Dani Carvajal, Vazquez stepped in.
It’s a position he’s played before, and while Vazquez’s positioning and work in the tackle were understandably below par, he did everything else well. More importantly, Real Madrid still won the title and didn’t implode when Vazquez was at right back.
Per AS, Vazquez is willing to play more defense if that’s what it takes to stay at the Santiago Bernabeu for a few more years. He’s getting older and looks expendable as a forward, but his versatility could be the final thing that keeps him working with Zidane in Madrid.