It’s a great time to be a Real Madrid fan. Spanish champions once again and in the midst of a thrilling Champions League tussle with Manchester City… things have been going well on the pitch.
And now Los Blancos fans are looking forward to some new faces arriving to the Santiago Bernabeu and maybe even an old one. The latest football rumours suggest there could be a dramatic return to the club for one of their all-time greats, Cristiano Ronaldo.
It’s that time of the year when the money men start to get busy with their plans.
The Bundesliga and Ligue 1 trophies have already been handed out, and last weekend Real Madrid won their 35th league title, while in England and Italy there is still plenty to be resolved. Los Blancos just needed to avoid defeat at home to Espanyol to win the league and they did much more than that, thrashing the Catalans 4-0 with goals from Karim Benzema, Marco Asensio and a brace from Rodrygo.
The win also meant that head coach Carlo Ancelotti has become the first manager to win top-flight titles in each of Europe’s top five leagues. And now the football 2022 news is focussing on who the great man is planning to bring in to make Los Blancos even more formidable.
It may be a little left field but possibly the most exciting rumour is that the Madrid club is weighing up the idea of bringing Cristiano Ronaldo back to Spain. The Portuguese legend had his best days at the Bernabeu, scoring an incredible 311 goals in 292 appearances for Los Blancos between 2009 and 2020. And while he bagged 81 in 98 matches for Juventus and is top scoring for Manchester United this term, he has sometimes cut a frustrated figure at Old Trafford and he may be open to a sensational return to Madrid.
Another Premier League star could also be on his way to join Ancelotti if, as expected, Chelsea centre-back Antonio Rudiger makes his way out of Stamford Bridge at the end of the season. The German defender has become a firm favourite at the club since his arrival from Roma in 2017, but his stay in West London looks to be coming to an end. Chelsea head coach Thomas Tuchel has said the 28-year-old is on his way, despite efforts from the club to extend the star’s contract, and he looks set to be Bernabeu-bound.
Meanwhile, Los Blancos president Florentino Perez has added fuel to the speculation surrounding the future of France star Kylian Mbappe, hinting that the Paris Saint-Germain player could be the club’s biggest signing of the summer. When asked if the World Cup winner was about to become a Real Madrid player, Perez simply said that it might be true. Last week, PSG head coach Mauricio Pochettino insisted Mbappe would be staying in Paris and Ancelotti responded by saying, ‘coaches cannot tell the whole truth’. And it wouldn’t be Pochettino’s decision in any case as his own future is far from certain.
Interestingly, Liverpool star striker Mo Salah is still to resolve his contract situation at Anfield and while Reds fans would be devastated to see their Egyptian hero depart, he could be tempted to join the billionaires in Paris, particularly if Mbappe makes room.
Either way, the excitement will be at fever pitch in Madrid over the next few weeks, that’s for sure!
Problems Mount for Chelsea
As well as the impending departure of Rudiger, Thomas Tuchel is also concerned that star England midfielder Mason Mount may be on his way in the summer. Under current government restrictions the London club cannot offer the 23-year-old a new contract and the Premier League’s top two clubs, Manchester City and Liverpool are said to be monitoring the situation.
Chelsea put in a limp display to lose 1-0 at Everton on Sunday and the Blues have not yet confirmed their top-four place; they are just five points ahead of Tottenham with four games to play.
Back at Ronaldo’s current club, Manchester United have pretty much confirmed they won’t be in the Champions League next season and incoming boss Erik Ten Hag is already planning to strengthen, and to lift the club’s fans before the next campaign begins.
The Red Devils are keen on Wolves midfield ace Ruben Neves and they are also rumoured to be preparing a bid for Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martinez. The Nerazzurri star was on target as Inter beat Udinese at the weekend to stay hot on the heels of Milan in the most exciting Scudetto race in years.
The latest football 2022 betting odds here at SBOTOP make it a two-horse race in Italy and give I Rossoneri a slight edge, but Martinez and his team-mates will fight to the final day. His goal against Udinese made it 17 for the season for the Argentine which makes him the third top scorer in Serie A, behind Lazio’s Ciro Immobile and Juventus’ Dusan Vlahovic. Whether he’d be happy to play Europa League football next season remains to be seen.
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