Real Madrid missed this season very much goalkeeper Joselu Mato, with the contributions from the veteran Vooruit not from the bank this season not replicated from the bank despite their attacking firepower. Now it seems that Los Blancos is looking for a similar option on the market this summer.
Last year the now 35-year-old Joselu Mato had the best goal contributions to the minute ratio of every Real Madrid player, scored 17 times and assisted three times in his 49 performances. The former Castilla product also had an in -depth impact on defense defense, which cleared the space for people like Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham.
Joselu decided to leave Real Madrid and feel that with the arrival of Endrick Felipe and Kylian Mbappe he would not have enough opportunities, while he would also have a lucrative offer from Qatar to consider. Mbappe was clearly the leader of their attack, but Endrick played sparingly this season and registered seven goals and an assist.
According to El Chiringuito, Real Madrid will view the market this summer for a classic number nine. They call Juventus' Dusan Vlahovic, Osasuna's Ante Budimir, Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta, former Xabi Alonso player Patrick Schick and Stuttgart's Nick Woltemade as options on their shortlist.
Vlahovic is expected to be on the market this summer, although not at a cheap price. Palace probably seems to demand a large fee for Mateta, who plays a leading role for them. Woltemade is a target made by Atletico Madrid, but both he and Schick would recommend more moderate investments. In the meantime, Budimir would be the most similar in terms of profile such as Joselu, and finished third in the Pichichi race with 21 goals, behind only Mbappe and Robert Lewandowski.
Recent reports have suggested that Alonso ends up on a 4-3-3 formation, which would complicate things more than if he would use two in the front. Even if this arrival was usually used from the bank, unless Alonso Endrick comes in wide, it would de facto mean one of a hypothetical attacker or Endrick would see their chances reduced.