Report: Chelsea gifted star Dream Of Joining Madrid; Madrid Handed Boost In Pursuit of Bayern Talent

German international Antonio Rudiger dream of playing for Real Madrid. However, the Spanish giant are keen on snapping up the Chelsea defender in the summer transfer window, according to Rudy Galettiin his column for Tribal Football.

Rudiger has turned out 196 times for Chelsea, chipping in with 12 goals and seven assists in the process. But Rudiger’s future is of grave concern for Chelsea, especially considering they cannot sign new players or hand existing stars new contracts. With the player set to become a free agent in the summer, the situation has alerted Real Madrid.

Furthermore, the Blues star has come into his own in the past year, going from a bit-part player for Chelsea to an indispensable figure under Thomas Tuchel. The 29-year-old has been one of the most reliable defenders in Europe during this period, with his compatriot bringing the best out of him.

The interest from Real Madrid stems from the inconsistencies of their defensive unit this season. While David Alaba and Eder Militao are the undisputed first-choice centre-backs for Real Madrid, Carlo Ancelotti does not have another quality option at his disposal to feature regularly.

Newcastle United considering move for Brentford striker Ivan Toney

Newcastle United have identified Brentford’s Ivan Toney to solve their goalscoring problems and are considering making a move for him this summer as they move on from Darwin Nunez.

Benfica striker Darwin Nunez is one of Europe’s most sought-after young strikers but is believed to be only willing to move to a club that will be playing Champions League football next season, ruling Newcastle United out of the picture. That has forced the Toon Army to start plotting alternatives to Nunez and the club has set their sights on Brentford star, Ivan Toney.

A youth product of the Northampton Town academy, Toney, 26, moved to Newcastle United in 2015 but wasn’t given a fair share of first-team chances. He managed just four appearances for the Magpies and was offloaded in 2018 by then manager Rafael Benitez.

The 26-year-old moved to Peterborough United in 2018, and after a couple of dazzling seasons in League One, he was snapped up by Brentford in the summer of 2020. Toney instantly hit the ground running with Brentford in the Championship and played a major role in getting the Bees promoted to the top-flight in the 2020/21 season.

And the centre-forward has silenced his detractors in the Premier League, scoring 12 goals in 28 appearances so far. Toney’s impressive performances have not gone unnoticed, with Newcastle United planning to re-sign him in the summer transfer window.

Newcastle to spend big in the summer?

Newcastle United have all but secured safety in the top-flight after a dreadful first half of the season. Backed by the rich owners in the January transfer window, Eddie Howe has done a brilliant job at St. James’ Park and deserves plaudits. He has revived the club’s fortunes, improved a lot of players and entertained the Geordies by making the team play an energetic, attacking brand of football—all in the span of just seven months.

Now that Newcastle are just three points off hitting the magical 40-point mark, Howe and the board have seemingly started planning for the summer transfer window. They are among a host of Premier League clubs expected to be in the market with a number of strikers potentially on the move.

Ivan Toney could be a top acquisition for the Magpies:

Ivan Toney has been recently linked with a return to Newcastle United. The 26-year-old has been a top performer for Brentford since joining in 2020 from Peterborough United and has caught the attention of many clubs with his goal-scoring exploits in the Premier League.

This season, Toney has shown that he has all it takes to thrive in the hustle and bustle of the English top-flight. With Callum Wilson injury prone and Chris Wood already 30, he could return to Newcastle and be the main man up front for Eddie Howe next season. Plus, Newcastle’s financial muscle is unlikely to hamper any potential deal for the Brentford star if they are hell-bent on signing him.

All in all, a player like Toney could become a key part of the exciting Newcastle United project under Eddie Howe that is set to kick on this summer.

Madrid Handed Boost In Pursuit of Bayernattacker

Serge Gnabry has a failed contract renewal negotiations with Bayern Munich. The Bundesliga champions are prepared to cash in on the German international in the summer transfer window, with Real Madrid pursuing him, according to a report by Spanish publication SPORT.

However, the German international has enjoyed a solid 2021/22 campaign, amassing 15 goals and ten assists in 41 appearances across all competitions. But Gnabry’s contract situation has put Bayern Munich in a spot of bother, with his deal running out in a little over a year. Such a situation has captured the attention of Real Madrid.

Serge Gnabry has transformed from an inconsistent prospect to a highly productive attacker since joining Bayern Munich several years ago. The 26-year-old has been on a steady rise in stature in the last few years, wherein he has established himself as a pivotal figure for club and country.

Furthermore, the Spanish giants are poised to sign one top-class attacker in Kylian Mbappe in the summer transfer window. But Real Madrid might need to invest in another forward ahead of the 2022/23 season, considering multiple players face an uncertain future at the Santiago Bernabeu.