Real Madrid want 'best midfielder in the world' to push for summer transfer

Real Madrid are clearly in need of a reset amid a frustrating season and the midfield will be a major focus this summer. A 3-2 loss to Barcelona in the Supercopa de Espana final and crashing out of the Copa del Rey against Segunda Division outfit Albacete were massive setbacks.

Alvaro Arbeloa looked to have turned the tide in recent weeks until a shock 4-2 defeat to Benfica in the Champions League. Several players were criticized for their performances in that game including Aurelien Tchouameni.

A new midfielder will likely arrive this summer and Madrid have been linked with several highly-rated midfielders. It seems that Los Blancos have their sights set on one of the very best in world football but need him to make the move happen.

Real Madrid interested in European champion

Madrid are reportedly admirers of Vitinha and believe the Paris Saint-Germain midfielder "can make a difference", per Diario AS. The club will need his representatives to make the first move because of the difficulty in negotiating with the Ligue 1 giants.

Vitinha is a key man at the Parc des Princes and starred in their quadruple win last season. The Portuguese finished third in last year's Ballon d'Or race and is one of Luis Enrique's most important players.

The 25-year-old ticks all the boxes for Madrid with his box-to-box profile and ball-playing abilities. He registered six goals and 10 assists in 30 games across competitions.

There's no word on how much the Portugal international could cost but he joined PSG from FC Porto in the summer of 2022 for €41.5 million. He will have three years left on his contract this summer meaning the French giants are under no pressure to cash in on their Portuguese star.

Many of those who have come up against Vitinha have highlighted his influence in Enrique's team. Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank called him 'the best midfielder in the world' after he scored a hat-trick in PSG's 5-3 win in the Champions League in November.

Vitinha is the type of signing Madrid should be making

Madrid's rebuild can't be centred on signing youth, as there is a clear need for more experience in this current squad. He would make an immediate impact, unlike other targets such as Kees Smit, who might need time to adapt to Spanish football at the age of 19.

Vitinha has shown he can perform at the highest level and he is at the perfect age to be a long-term solution for Los Blancos in midfield. He might be expensive but he would be worth it although PSG won't make life easy in potential negotiations.