Real Madrid will not sign a new striker to replace Chicharito Hernandez this summer. Instead, they will promote youngster Borja Mayoral to become Karim Benzema’s back-up, Spanish sports newspaper Marca has revealed.
The 18-year-old has caused a great impression these past few weeks, leading the Spanish Under-19 national team to conquer the European Championship and winning the Golden Shoe as the top scorer of the tournament.
Los Blancos are confident Mayoral is ready to make his first-team debut and they have ruled out the signing of a new striker in order to let Mayoral earn some minutes of play.
The club directors believe it wouldn’t be positive to sign a world-class number 9 to compete with Benzema, as that could weaken the Frenchman’s self-confidence. They have sought a low-profile striker like Chicharito but the options available have not convinced them.
Mayoral rise has taken place in perfect timing. He scored more than 50 goals last season for Los Blancos youth teams and got to play for Zinedine Zidane’s Real Madrid Castilla in the last stage of the league.
Los Blancos want him now to remain officially as a Real Madrid Castilla player, but training with the first team, so he can be ready for Rafa Benitez to call him whenever he is needed.
Benitez also knows he can use Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Jese Rodriguez in that position. In fact, the three of them have already played as strikers at some point in the pre-season. Thus, the number 9 spot seems perfectly covered now that Mayoral is about to join the squad.
