Real Madrid will reportedly have to splash out €80m if they wish to prise midfielder Fabian Ruiz away from Napoli in the near future.
The 24-year-old has established himself as a key figure for the Serie A giants, making 72 appearances since joining them from Real Betis in 2018.
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In that time, he’s bagged 10 goals and five assists, but it’s his overall play in midfield to dictate tempo and dominate possession which has seen him emerge as a classy operator who is arguably a perfect fit for Real Madrid’s style of play.
However, according to Calciomercato, Los Blancos will have to dig deep into their pockets if they wish to prise him away from Naples, as owner Aurelio De Laurentiis reportedly wants at least €80m for the Spaniard to consider green lighting an exit.
Barcelona and Manchester City are also specifically mentioned in the report as being interested, but after Ruiz’s agent revealed this week that Real Madrid have shown an interest in his client, as per the report above, it seems as though Zinedine Zidane’s side are pushing hardest.
€80m is a lot of money for a player who has yet to prove himself at the highest level on a consistent basis, but at 24 years of age, he has arguably shown enough to suggest that he’s on the right path and he’ll be a sensible long-term addition to the Real Madrid midfield.
Luka Modric turns 35 later this year while Toni Kroos is now 30 and Casemiro is 28. Coupled with Federico Valverde, they still have a lot left to offer, but it would arguably be a sensible time to start thinking long-term and land a player of Ruiz’s quality to add reinforcements rather than scramble for replacements when the need is greater.