Perhaps we’re starting to see the first cracks in the impenetrable fortress that has been Real Madrid C.F. in recent years. European champions three times running, Madrid have become the DeathStar of world football, but as we learned in the Star Wars movies, even the DeathStar has vulnerabilities.
Cristiano Ronaldo decided he was better off at Juventus, and Los Blancos seem to be having major problems in trying to find his replacement. They strongly pursued Eden Hazard, but Chelsea just wouldn’t sell. They have also been linked to Paris Saint-Germain’s astronomically priced duo Kylian Mbappe and Neymar, but it’s extremely unlikely we’ll see any movement there between now and transfer deadline day a week from now.
And just today we learned that Liverpool superstar Mohamed Salah and Tottenham Hotspur main man Harry Kane both said nah, we’re good at the prospect of joining up at the estadio Santiago Bernabeu.
According to Spanish publication El Pais, Real reached out, through intermediaries, to both Salah and Kane and got met with varying degrees of rejection.
“Madrid consulted throughout the last month Kane and Salah through intermediaries, the answers of the scorers of the Premier were lukewarm or, in the case of Mo Salah, conclusive. The Egyptian replied renewing contract with Liverpool. The Englishman responded with a certain indifference.
“Tottenham indicated that Madrid made a “protocol” approach, to which the London club reported that Kane is not for sale. Only in the event that the player presses to leave could you put a price that will never be lower than 300 million euros.”
First off how do you get Salah to play with the man who injured him (most likely intentionally) and showed zero remorse for it in Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos?
“Hey, meet your new teammate.”
Awkward!
And in regards to Kane- 300 million Euro/$350m, £270m? Sure, the Kings of Europe have the money, but that’s a world record breaking transfer fee right there. In fact it’s a 35% markup over the current record of what PSG paid for Neymar.
In other words, this is how you tell them Harry Kane is not for sale, which is something Tottenham has been telling anybody and everybody who have approached them in regards to buying the striker.
The best Cristiano Ronaldo replacement solution for Real Madrid at this point is for Gareth Bale to step up and seize the opportunity. It’s his time to be the new alpha dog.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, is currently a regular contributor to SB Nation, WGN CLTV and Chicago Now.
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