A player linked with Tottenham Hotspur could be edging closer to an exit from his current club amid increasing doubts over his ability and suitability for the team, as reported by Spanish outlet AS.
According to a report earlier this month from Spanish outlet El Desmarque, Spurs head coach Jose Mourinho has personally contacted Real president Florentino Perez about Eder Militao’s availability in the case Jan Vertonghen leaves the club in the summer.
Militao joined Real from Porto last summer, Los Blancos paying a reported €50million (£43million) for the Br azil international’s services.
However, he has struggled in his maiden season, failing to win Zinedine Zidane over, and has made just 13 appearances all season, with a mere seven starts in La Liga, according to Transfermarkt.
Militao has been involved in some of Real’s worst defeats this term, such as the hammering at Paris Saint-Germain, the Copa del Rey exit to Real Sociedad and the latest defeat to Real Betis, which has left them two points behind La Liga leaders Barcelona.
As reported by AS, the 22-year-old connected with just 48 of 64 passes against Betis, only won 5 out of 12 duels, recovered the ball just seven times, committed three fouls and was given a torrid time against Nabil Fakir.
The Spanish outlet reports that, while Militao was set to play against Manchester City, the postponement has now led to clubs assessing and reflecting over their seasons so far, and Real are reportedly still unsure about the Br azilian’s future at the Bernabeu.
"He hasn’t scored yet either and is not the player Real Madrid expected when they signed him as a long-term replacement for Ramos in the summer," wrote AS.
While Militao may be out of favour at Real Madrid, he is certainly a talented player who has impressed throughout most of his senior career – indeed, Mourinho was said to have monitored the defender while he was at Manchester United.
Real midfielder Casemiro, meanwhile, had told AS when Militao joined: "I’ve got to congratulate Real Madrid for signing him because half of Europe wanted him. Militao has earned the right to play at the best club in the world and he’ll be very welcome next season."
On his day, Militao is confident playing out from the back, is comfortable with the ball, isn’t afraid to dribble forward from defence, rarely makes mistakes, and is superb with passes and deliveries, courtesy of his stints at right-back in Br azil.
With Real reportedly looking for £70million for Militao’s services, however, Spurs must do their due diligence and make sure that the player is definitely the right fit for the club and the team.