Three things are inevitable in this lifetime; Death, taxes and Real Madrid being linked with a midfielder. While the likes of Paul Pogba, Christian Eriksen and Donny van de Beek will still run their rounds, there is another midfielder for fans to keep an eye on.
According to reports from Fox Sports, Real Madrid have identified Fabian Ruiz of Napoli as their potential successor for Luka Modric. Calciomercato also reported in the summer that Zinedine Zidane was interested then but the move never came into fruition.
It’s yet to know the full extent of Fabian Ruiz’s fee. However, he is a highly-rated prospect at Napoli so I would assume they’d ask for a lot. He is one of the best young midfielders in the world and having already developed as a player, he could even be up there with the likes of Pogba.
AS reported that Isco could be involved as part of a swap deal, which would surely persuade Napoli some more. Isco is yet to hit the ground running since his return and if Ruiz does come into the side, it would only bolster Zidane’s midfield options. Therefore, a swap deal would be a win-win situation for all parties involved.
Ruiz is a player similar to Modric’s style. He is versatile, meaning he can play across the midfield line. His favoured position appears to be as a defensive midfielder, where he is involved in a lot more of the play. He is a keen passer of the ball and he likes to dictate play.
Filling the boots of Luka Modric is never an easy thing to ask of a player, especially a 23-year-old. However, Ruiz has all the assets to reach the calibre that the Croatian has reached throughout his career. It’s just a case of whether he can implement them on the big stage.