Real Madrid have mostly secured their back four under Jose Mourinho and are potentially an Alessandro Bastoni swoop from Inter Milan away from creating the best defense in La Liga after years of fielding a pretty disappointing outfit. So now, the task for Mou and the club becomes rebuilding a midfield that has lost a lot of technical quality and control with the depatures of legends Luka Modric and, of course, Toni Kroos in 2024.
The main target for Real Madrid appears to be Chelsea star Enzo Fernandez, but Real have been linked to a host of other names, with West Ham United's Mateus Fernandes and even 2026 World Cup breakout star Ayyoub Bouaddi rounding out the top three of targets.
Bouaddi has been a more popular name in recent weeks, but now, Rodra P of ESPN Deportes reports, via the Madrid Zone, that Manchester City have moved into the lead for Bouaddi over Real Madrid in the transfer sweepstakes.
Real Madrid are looking away from Ayyoub Bouaddi
Man City actually just signed an expensive No. 8 in Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest for well over 100 million pounds, and they have interest in other top midfielders like even Sandro Tonali of Newcastle United. But they do need a young controller of the future to step into Rodri's shoes with his contract running out, and Bouaddi would make a lot of sense.
For Real Madrid, the Bouaddi news, the conversation becomes about considering the reciprocal. If Manchester City are now first for Ayyoub Bouaddi, then that means Real Madrid, who were first, have then cooled their interest to not match the Citizens.
And the reason for that is simple. While Real Madrid do like Bouaddi, they need someone who can be their main star and No. 6 immediately with all the expectations around the Royal White club, and that player is Argentina international Enzo Fernandez, who will likely cost Real more than what Elliot Anderson cost Manchester City.
Enzo is Jose Mourinho's No. 1 choice at Real Madrid, and Enzo himself has made Real Madrid his personal No. 1 choice destination club for months. There is a lot of smoke linking these two sides together, but if Real Madrid want to sign their second big star away from Xabi Alonso and Chelsea, then they are going to have to put 100 percent of their efforts in Fernandez. They probably are now, and that is very likely the reason why Bouaddi is now closer to a Champions League rival in City.
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