Real Madrid Prepared To Sell $67M Striker After Zinedine Zidane Loses Patience With Him: Report

Real Madrid are reportedly planning to sell Serbia’s Luka Jovic, who was tipped to become a future star at Santiago Bernabeu, ahead of the summer transfer window.

In the summer of 2019, Real Madrid signed Jovic from Eintracht Frankfurt for a fee of $67 million considering the Serbian could become a long-term replacement for Karim Benzema. Unfortunately for the 22-year-old forward, his debut season in La Liga has not gone as planned as he has managed just two goals in 16 league appearances for Real. Overall, he has played 25 matches in the 2019-20 campaign, eight of which he has started, but has not scored in tournaments other than La Liga.

Jovic, who kickstarted his senior-team career with Serbia’s Red Star Belgrade, has made his case further worse by breaking the coronavirus rules in his native country. When he went to his place in Serbia during the lockdown, he broke the quarantine rules and when he reported back in Madrid, he suffered a mysterious injury off the field before he broke La Liga’s protocol by attending a barbecue with Getafe’s Nemanja Maksimovic and Atletico Madrid's Ivan Saponjic.

According to a report in Spanish publication Marca, Jovic is in quarantine again after he came in contact with a friend, who has tested positive for coronavirus. The report further revealed that Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane has always believed in the player and was determined to give him opportunities. It was understood earlier that Zidane would let go of Jovic on loan but as a result of his off the field antics recently, Jovic will mostly find himself away from Bernabeu ahead of the 2020-21 season.

English media outlet Daily Star has reported that Premier League sides Leicester City and Chelsea are competing to acquire the signature of Jovic this summer. Leicester, who are close to returning to the Champions League next season, are looking to reinforce the side for the European tournament.

The report has further disclosed that even now Real could consider sending Jovic on a loan but a deal of $39 million could be enough to seal the deal on a permanent basis.

Real Madrid are currently in the top of the La Liga table but are just a point ahead of defending champions FC Barcelona. Both the teams are still also alive in the Champions League, which is due to resume next month.