Real Madrid Has a Tough Rival for Lukeba and the Leny Yoro Case May Repeat

One of the objectives that Real Madrid might have in the transfer market, which seems increasingly clear, is in the center of defense. The injuries recorded during the current season, as well as Nacho Fernández's departure as a free agent more than half a year ago, have reduced the resources available to Carlo Ancelotti.

The Reggiolo coach has been, at certain parts of the season, in a 'more difficult still', a precarious balance with Raúl Asencio and Aurélien Tchouaméni that hasn't worked. Therefore, the executives led by Florentino Pérez are actively exploring the transfer market to achieve one of the most insistent demands of the first team's coaching staff.

The arrival of a central defender, currently, would be subject to three names. The two most notable are William Saliba and Castello Lukeba, but the RB Leipzig footballer would be ahead of the '2' gunner according to the information published by MARCA. Regardless of that order, Real Madrid knows it will have to make a significant investment for the RB Leipzig footballer, perhaps a transfer above 80 million.

Such a figure, for the white bosses, would be an unacceptable demand. But it wouldn't be the only complication that Castello Lukeba's signing brings. As Daily Mirror points out, the French defender has also entered Bayern Munich's list of potential signings, a team with which Real Madrid will cross paths this summer.

Two Clubs, One Destination

Not only on account of Castello Lukeba himself: the hypothetical signing of Florian Wirtz seems to be a point of friction between the white team and the Bavarian entity. From the offices of Säbener Straße, they have made it clear that Bayer Leverkusen's '10' is one of their priority targets for the summer of 2025, the same situation that Lukeba now holds.

Max Eberl, Bayern Munich's sporting director, would place the French center-back as "one of the players to consider for FC Bayern in the upcoming transfer windows". Florian Plettenberg, one of Germany's most recognized journalists, points out that the management "still has a very good opinion of the 22-year-old center-back". Therefore, they would try to secure his services next summer.

Real Madrid, if these advances by Bayern Munich are confirmed, would find itself in a too familiar and recent situation. The protagonist in that dilemma was a Leny Yoro who had everything ready to sign for the white team. But Manchester United's offer, superior in transfer for LOSC Lille and in salary for the young defender, ended up displacing the merengue proposal.

The merengue bosses would have learned from that setback in the transfer market. Not only when negotiating a transfer, but also working simultaneously with several options for the same position. Therefore, the names of William Saliba and Dean Huijsen remain as planned alternatives to this 'duel' for a top-level central defender.