Real Madrid's 'Operation Man City' targets two stars
FT Desk
- 29 Sept 2022 13:11 BST
- 3 min read
Real Madrid have long been linked with a move for Erling Haaland, but their interest in the English champions' players extends beyond the Norwegian goal-machine.
Real won La Liga and the Champions League last season, and look to have a settled squad under Carlo Ancelotti. Haaland had been a target last season, but with Karim Benzema still operating at a world-class level, a new No.9 wasn't seen as an emergency.
Haaland's former Borussia Dortmund teammate Jude Bellingham has also been linked in recent weeks - even if Real spent €100 million on Monaco's Aurelien Tchouameni, a fellow midfielder, this summer - with Luka Modric and Toni Kroos out of contract at the end of the season.
3️⃣ years of Joao Cancelo! 🙌#ManCity | #OnThisDay 2019 pic.twitter.com/9XfEAfMDrG
— Manchester City (@ManCity) August 7, 2022
But it is as full-back where los Blancos are looking to strengthen, and City's versatile defender Joao Cancelo has caught the eye.
"The Cancelo interest didn't begin yesterday," write Spanish sports daily Diario AS. "Already during his time at Valencia he drew attention foe his confident attacking from right-back, which eventually led him to Pep Guardiola via Inter and Juventus.
€50m fee?
"Cancelo is 29 next summer, and should cost a maximum of €40-50m. Anceltotti knows him well from his time in the Premier League and appreciated his versatility. Cancelo now starts on the left but would be restored to right-back like at the Mestalla."
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That Cancelo could provide competition for Ferland Mendy and Dani Carvajal remains a positive, though. Cancelo had three goals and 10 assists from left-back last season and is already up to one and three for each column this term.
Real might have to be more patient to capture Haaland. While Cancelo could move next summer, Haaland's release clause of €180m only kicking in in the summer of 2024, by which time Benzema might be ready to wind down his career at hometown club Lyon.
