Real Madrid still interested in stellar French midfielder, but does a deal make sense anymore?

Real Madrid, Zinedine Zidane (Photo by TIZIANA FABI/AFP via Getty Images)
Real Madrid, Zinedine Zidane (Photo by TIZIANA FABI/AFP via Getty Images)

Real Madrid have arguably the best midfield in European football with Luka Modric, Toni Kroos, and Casemiro as the starting trio and Fede Valverde also in their ranks. Plus, Los Blancos have Isco, Dani Ceballos and Martin Odegaard on loan at Arsenal, and Antonio Blanco coming up through the ranks from Castilla.

But Real could potentially use another talented young player to bolster their depth. Eduardo Camavinga has long been mentioned as a top target of Florentino Perez’s, but another Ligue 1 center midfielder has been on Real’s radar.

According to a report from Jorge C. Picon of AS, Real Madrid remain interested in Lyon midfielder Houssem Aouar. The 22-year-old is an admirer of Zinedine Zidane, who is also high on the player.

Aouar, of course, has interest across Europe, namely from Juventus. The report from AS also mentions Liverpool, who could use a creative midfielder like Aouar, as being interested. But Juve are the real team to watch, as they have a desperate need for a midfielder. He and Manuel Locatelli are their top targets.

Houssem Aouar is great, but Real Madrid just don’t have space for him

It is good to see that Zidane and Real Madrid are still monitoring Aouar, who is having another productive season in Ligue 1. The French international has five goals and three assists in the league this season, along with a goal in the Coup de France in one appearance off the bench. Per WhoScored.com, Aouar’s other numbers are solid, as he is averaging 1.6 dribbles per game and 1.4 key passes per game.

The issue with Aouar is that the cat is already out of the bag, so Lyon can command a significant fee for the player. Real Madrid would have to pay upwards of 50 million euros for Aouar. He’s worth the money in general, but for Real, he might not be. They don’t need a full-time starter in midfield, just a backup. And Aouar is too good to sit on the bench, which would be the case with Kroos and Modric playing at this level. As good as Aouar is, he isn’t on Valverde’s level either.

Zidane and Aouar may want to work together, but it’s probably not happening. Real Madrid have a huge need for a top goal-scorer, and that would take everything. Los Blancos wouldn’t have enough for another big signing, and even if they did want to sign a top young midfielder, Camavinga would make more sense if he is available. Aouar may be the one that got away, perhaps to Cristiano Ronaldo’s Bianconeri.