According to a recent report by AS, Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane is hoping to acquire the services of Red Bull Leipzig centre-back Dayot Upamecano before the start of the 2020-2021 campaign. The same source has also revealed that the French defender was valued at €50m back in December, but his price dropped to €45m as he has just over a year remaining in his current contract at the Red Bull Arena.
Upamecano’s Magnificent Run Of Form In German Football
The 21-year-old has enjoyed another solid campaign in the Bundesliga and has been responsible for performing at a high level at the heart of Julian Nagelsmann’s defence. He has appeared in 29 matches for Leipzig this term and has got one assist to his name across all competitions. However, Upamecano is yet to open his goal-scoring account for this season which is a surprise considering how threatening he can be inside the opposition penalty area during set-pieces.
The French centre-back has averaged 2.1 tackles, 1.7 interceptions and 3.3 clearances per game in the German first division so far. Upamecano’s numbers have been quite similar in the UEFA Champions League as well where he has averaged 3.2 tackles, 1.3 interceptions and 3.5 clearance in every 90 minutes of European football this season (stats via whoscored).
As long as he can maintain such high standards in the La Liga, he will be an excellent acquisition for Los Blancos if they manage to land him during the summer transfer period. The former Red Bull Salzburg defender has also represented France at various youth levels but is yet to earn his first international cap for his nation at the senior level.
Maybe a high-profile switch to the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium could help him get a more prominent platform which he could use to showcase his talents in the hopes of catching the attention of Les Bleus manager Didier Deschamps before the 2021 UEFA Euro kicks off at the end of next season.
What Will The French Youngster Bring To The Santiago Bernabeu Stadium?
Upamecano can use his pace to make a few recovering runs inside his own half when his teammates are caught back-peddling during the opposition counter-attacks. He can read the danger quickly and make a few vital interceptions for his side. The Frenchman is generally a dominant presence at the back as he can command his own penalty box with authority and conviction by using his incredible upper-body strength to overpower the opposition in the air. Furthermore, he is also not shy about putting his body on the line to block a goal-bound attempt and can mop up the danger by making some integral last-gasp clearances.
What makes Upamecano such an excellent fit for Los Blancos is his ability to get on the ball and pass it around with ease and grace as evidenced by his pass success rate of 88.8% in the Bundesliga this term. He is also averaging over one dribble a game in both league and European football this season which is incredible for a player who is primarily a centre-back (stats via whoscored).
Upamecano is an ideal modern-day central defender who has the potential to become a generational talent if he can continue to make progress at such a rapid rate with each season. The French Under-21 international shares the same nationality as the Real Madrid head coach and won’t have any trouble settling into the Madrid dressing room as he will have his countrymen, Raphael Varane, Ferland Mendy and Karim Benzema, all available for any guidance.
Plus, both Eden Hazard and Thibaut Courtois can speak French, which means that Upamecano’s addition could potentially improve the overall chemistry of Zidane’s squad at the Spanish capital. With Sergio Ramos edging closer towards the end of his playing career, the Leipzig whizkid could turn out to be a brilliant replacement for the ageing Spaniard as well.
