Classic Perez
Real Madrid have not experienced the new manager bounce that was expected when Santi Solari took over from Julen Lopetegui, who was sacked after a humiliating ‘manita‘ Clásico defeat to FC Barcelona.
During his period as interim manager, Madrid appeared to have found their scoring boots again, winning four games in the space of a fortnight, which convinced Florentino Pérez to give Solari the job until the end of the season.
He may be regretting that decision now, as Madrid have regressed to the unimaginative, uninspiring, tepid collection of individuals that saw them drop down the league in the first few weeks of the season. They’re now fifth, behind Deportivo Alavés, and having consider the terrifying idea of not qualifying for the Champions League.
Luka Modrić even admitted today that the squad are not at the right level, and that their poor run of results is not down to bad luck.
“Many of us are not at our level. We cannot take a s*** at the beginning of every game,” he said in the mixed zone after Sunday’s home defeat to Real Sociedad.
“We have to be clear, it’s not a matter of luck.”
Desperate times call for desperate measures, and Madrid have reverted to their old tactic of trying to sign one of Tottenham’s best players to reignite the squad’s magic. It worked – to an extent – with Gareth Bale, and Luka Modrić, who won the 2018 Ballon d’Or just five years after MARCA readers voted him the worst signing of the summer.
So why not try again? If there’s one thing Florentino Perez knows how to do, it’s spend money, and he is preparing to spend £100m on Christian Eriksen, according to the Independent.
Madrid need a marquee signing in the summer and are keen to bring in either Eriksen or Eden Hazard, but view the Danish playmaker as a more realistic transfer target.
His contract runs out in 2020, and Madrid believe Spurs’ business model means they’re more likely to sell for a fee in a player’s final year, as they have done previously.
Eriksen is stalling on a new contract with Tottenham, despite Spurs offering to lift his wages to north of £200k per week, but it seems his motivations are not purely financial.
Should he move to Madrid, it would pave the way for Isco to depart the Santiago Bernabeu, where he has struggled for game time and form this season.
Anyone else smell a swap deal?
