Real Madrid have reportedly enquired about the possibility of signing Argentine midfielder Giovani Lo Celso in the summer, who is also a target for Barcelona.
According to a report from Spanish publication MARCA, reigning European champions Real Madrid are set to launch a summer move for Real Betis midfielder Giovani Lo Celso and have submitted an enquiry for the Argentine. The 22-year-old is also a target for arch-rivals Barcelona.
Lo Celso was signed by Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2016. The midfielder moved to Paris in January 2017, but managed just 5 appearances till the end of the season. The 2017-18 campaign saw him get plenty of opportunities with the first-team as he featured 48 times in all competitions, scoring 6 goals and setting up 7 more.
However, the midfielder was loaned out to Betis this past summer, and Lo Celso has thrived in his debut campaign in Spain. The 22-year-old has turned out 34 times for the La Liga outfit across all competitions, scoring 12 goals in the process.
Impressed by the strong impression that he has made in Spain, Betis are set to exercise the option of making the move permanent, which will see them secure 80% of the player’s rights for a fee of €25 million.
However, the report from MARCA adds that Real Betis are open to the idea of selling the Argentine international in the summer, should an offer around the €60 million mark come along. This seems to have put Real Madrid on high alert, with Los Blancos believed to have already made an enquiry about the possibility of signing the midfielder.
Luka Modric and Toni Kroos have been severely underwhelming this season, while Dani Ceballos and Isco haven’t been able to nail down a regular spot in the starting lineup. With a squad overhaul on president Florentino Perez’s mind, there is a good chance that some of the midfielders could be shown the doors in the summer, paving way for Lo Celso’s arrival at the Bernabeu.
However, their pursuit of the Argentine might not be all too straightforward, with arch-rivals Barcelona also reportedly monitoring Lo Celso. The Catalans are loaded with options in the middle of the park as it is and have already taken a step to strengthen the department further ahead of the next season.
Dutch international Frenkie de Jong was signed from AFC Ajax, with the midfield sensation set to arrive at the club at the end of the ongoing term. Add to it, the potential return of Denis Suarez and Andre Gomes from their respective loan spells at Arsenal and Everton means Barcelona would be overloaded with midfielders, making the interest in Lo Celso somewhat questionable.
The report from MARCA further adds that Real Madrid will also have to compete with Premier League sides Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur in order to sign Lo Celso in the summer, complicating matters further.
Lo Celso is all set to make his loan switch to Real Betis from PSG permanent in the coming months. But, it remains to be seen how long he remains a Betis player after that, with Real Madrid chasing his signature, along with a number of other top teams.