According to a recent report by Calciomercato, Real Madrid are the favourites to secure the signature of Rennes midfielder Eduardo Camavinga after already making contact with the player’s representatives over a potential move in the future. The same source also mentions AC Milan as one of the French youngster’s potential suitors, but they are out of the running as it is believed that the youngster will cost over €50m which has made Los Blancos the leading candidate to land him this summer.
Camavinga’s Recent Emergence In The French First Division
Camavinga has caught the eye with his impressive performances in the Ligue 1 this season and has become a favourite amongst fans at the Roazhon Park. The 17-year-old has established himself as a regular feature at the heart of Julien Stéphan’s midfield after appearing in 36 matches for his boyhood club this term, registering one goal and two assists across multiple competitions. His incredible contributions have not gone in vain as Zinedine Zidane has earmarked him as a potential target this summer.
More importantly, the Rennes youth product has averaged 4.3 tackles, 1.4 interceptions and 1.3 clearances in every 90 minutes of French top-flight football (stats via whoscored) which goes to show how much he has matured as a midfielder this season.
Back in November, Camavinga experienced his first game at the international level when representing the French Under-21 side in a crucial UEFA European U-21 Championship qualifier against Georgia. The talented teenager has the ceiling to become a senior international for France if he can continue to improve his overall game bit by bit in the coming years.
What Will The French Starlet Bring To The Santiago Bernabeu Stadium?
Camavinga has enough pace in his locker to make recovering runs inside his own half. His quickness and raw power enable him to make some penetrative, breakaway runs with the ball from midfield. The French midfield ace hardly gives away the ball after completing 87.7% of his attempted passes in the Ligue 1 this season (stats via whoscored). He can also make some well-timed challenges to win the ball back for his side. Furthermore, the teen sensation can read the danger quickly and can pull off a few vital last-gasp clearances at the back.
Camavinga ticks all the right boxes in terms of what Zidane generally expects from his younger players. At the moment, he might struggle to get into the Madrid first-team, but in due time, he could turn out to be an ideal long-term replacement for Casemiro at the centre of Los Blancos’ midfield. The French whizkid has already shown enough in the French top-flight to justify a place in Zidane’s match-day squad next season as he will be able to provide adequate cover for the likes of Casemiro and Federico Valverde in the race for one of the holding midfield positions in the Madrid starting XI.
However, it’s easy to forget that Camavinga is just 17 so the La Liga giants will need to be patient with him as he is still quite raw and would need time to transform himself into a productive asset. All in all, the Real Madrid head coach would be wise to orchestrate a move to lure the French U-21 international to the Bernabeu ahead of the new season.
