REAL PLOT DOUBLE RAID ON EPL
Zidane tells board to focus on signing Pogba and Hazard
PAUL Pogba and Eden Hazard are at the top of Real Madrid’s summer wish-list with Zinedine Zidane urging his board to sign the Premier League duo.
Paris Saint-Germain’s Kylian Mbappe was Real’s No 1 target following Zidane’s return to the Bernabeu but the Spanish giants have given up the chase.
Real know PSG will refuse to cash in on their star asset so have shelved plans to sign Mbappe until 2020.
According to AS, it means Real will go all out to sign both Pogba and Hazard during the summer transfer window following Zidane’s request.
Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said on Monday that Pogba was happy to stay at Old Trafford despite flirting with the idea of linking up with Zidane.
Pogba said it would be a ‘dream’ to play for Real Madrid during the recent international break but Solskjaer has since said his midfielder is loving life at United.
Zidane has also spoken of his admiration for Pogba which led to Solskjaer speaking out on the Frenchman’s situation.
Solskjaer, ahead of his side’s clash with Watford late yesterday, said: “No, (those comments don’t) really concern me because my thought of action then is to sit down and speak to Paul and I’ve had my chat with Paul and we’re fine.
“He’s going to do his utmost here because he knows I’m very fond of him as a player and a person and he is important for us. There is no issue.”
Hazard, on the other hand, only has one more year left on his contract so Chelsea are likely to be more open to cashing in.
Chelsea are currently unable to purchase players in the summer
due to a transfer ban which may make it more difficult for Real to sign the Belgian.
Zidane, meanwhile, said yesterday he cannot envisage his side parting with France defender Raphael Varane but he could not give any guarantees about the future of winger Gareth Bale.
French newspaper L’Equipe reported last month that World Cup winner Varane was looking to leave Real after eight seasons in the Spanish capital, in which he has won four Champions League crowns and two La Liga titles.
Speaking at a news conference ahead of Real’s La Liga visit to Valencia today, Zidane dismissed reports about Varane’s supposed departure.
“I cannot imagine a future without Varane and I don’t want to. He’s a young player, he has been here for eight years and he is doing very well,” Zidane said.
“I’m not going to comment on what is being said outside. The important thing is what the player tells me and for now he’s at the best club in the world, he’s won a lot of things and I think he is in a good place.”
The future of Bale, the club’s record signing, is more uncertain as he was again subjected to boos from Real’s own supporters during Sunday’s 3-2 win over Huesca, in which he missed an opportunity to score from close range.
Zidane admitted the supporters were not helping the Welshman but he refused to clarify if Bale would remain at the club next season.
“I don’t know how it affects him but booing a player is never good, they also booed me but you have to accept it and every player who is here has the character to deal with it,” Zidane said.
“We’ll decide the future of Gareth and other players at the end of the season, we’ve got nine games left and then we’ll see. I can confirm that we will have to make changes next season but now is not the time to talk about it.”
Real are third in the La Liga standings with nine games left of the campaign.