Real Madrid apparently 'hours away' from signing another high-profile wunderkind, potentially taking total summer spending to $394 million
- Real Madrid is nearing the signing of talented Dutch midfielder Donny van de Beek from Ajax.
- The Spanish side is hoping a $56 million deal will be completed by the end of the week, having already agreed terms with the player.
- Van de Beek would become Madrid's sixth signing of the summer, taking its spending to an astonishing $393 million.
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Real Madrid is close to signing Ajax wunderkind Donny van de Beek, according to MARCA.
Madrid has already splashed the cash on five new summer signings for a combined total of $338 million.
Belgian superstar Eden Hazard, 28, was the club's marquee arrival, transferring from Chelsea in a deal worth $112 million. Striker Luka Jovic, 21, who scored 25 times for Eintracht Frankfurt last season, also set Real back $67 million. Brazilian duo Eder Militao, 21, and Rodrygo Goes, 18, joined from FC Porto and Santos respectively, while highly rated French defender Ferland Mendy, 24, arrived from Olympique Lyonnais.
However, Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane is keen to continue injecting young talent into his squad ahead of the new season, and wants to welcome 22-year-old Van de Beek to the club after missing out on Manchester United's Paul Pogba.
Madrid had been keen to land Pogba earlier in the summer but balked at his $200 million price tag and instead turned its attention to Van de Beek, a player who enjoyed a hugely impressive season last year with Ajax, scoring 12 times and supplying an equal amount of assists as Erik ten Hag's side won the domestic double and reached the semifinals of the 2018-2019 UEFA Champions League.
Reports from the Spanish publication MARCA suggests Madrid is just "hours away" from completing a deal for the talented Dutchman.
Negotiations with Ajax over a fee are ongoing but Real is hopeful it can conclude a $56 million deal by the end of the week. If the transfer is agreed, it would push the club's total expenditure to $393 million - the most any club has spent this summer.