Top reporter predicts Real Madrid will sign their ‘hottest target’

It looks like Real Madrid fans will be thanking Florentino Pérez even more than usual in the summer 2024 transfer window, though, of course, Madridistas are a cynical bunch and won’t get their hopes up until all the signings are official. They have been down this road before.

Yet there is an awful lot of optimism emanating from both Spanish-based sources and international footballing insiders regarding not only the acquisition of free agent Kylian Mbappé, but also Canadian superstar Alphonso Davies of Bayern Munich.

There is a third notable player who could be joining Real Madrid in the coming summer window, and that is the best center back available on the transfer market, Lille’s Leny Yoro.

The 2023/24 breakout star has been on Madrid’s radar since the winter, and now MARCA’s chief reporter José Félix Díaz says the club is pushing “hard” to sign Yoro.

“JFD” even believes Real Madrid will be the ones to sign Yoro in the end, noting that the French central defender is the Merengue club’s “hottest target” at this moment.

Per the MARCA journalist, Real are actually “working hardest” to sign Yoro, which somewhat implies the Mbappé deal is done and that Real are pushing harder for Yoro than Davies.

Perhaps that’s because there is less competition for Davies, who may also be a given. Yoro is generating interest from Premier League clubs and PSG, but the 18-year-old seems to only want Lille to sell him to Madrid.

Lille would be happy to oblige, further their relationship with the biggest club there is, and, like Monaco with Aurélien Tchouaméni in 2022, avoid selling their most valuable transfer piece to Ligue 1 rivals PSG.

Yoro is completing over 92 percent of his passes in Ligue 1, averaging 1.1 tackles and 1.3 interceptions per game with just 0.3 dribbles conceded per match. He has all the tools to be an elite center back and is arguably already at that level as a teenager, which is beyond mind-boggling for a defensive player.

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