Real Madrid face Manchester United, Chelsea battle for €40m-rated teenage defender | OneFootball

Real Madrid are scouring the market for centre-backs as they are on the lookout for reinforcements for their defensive line.

With David Alaba’s exit all but confirmed and the fact that Antonio Rudiger and Eder Militao have battled injuries makes it imperative for the club to shore up the ranks at the heart of the backline.

Los Blancos are looking at established players like Ibrahima Konate and Nico Schlotterbeck, while also keeping an eye on up-and-coming talents, one of whom happens to be Karim Coulibaly.

Competition for Koulibaly

Indeed, according to AS, Real Madrid are interested in 18-year-old Coulibaly of Werder Bremen.

However, the Merengues are set to face stiff competition in the race for the youngster as Premier League heavyweights Chelsea and Manchester United are also tracking him.

In addition to that, Serie A giants Napoli and reigning French and European Champions PSG are also keeping tabs on the teenager.

A breakout star in demand. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)

Coulibaly has been one of the breakout stars of the season in the Bundesliga, emerging as a regular for Werder Bremen – playing 22 times and even scoring one goal.

Coulibaly has a contract until 2029 which is understood to contain no release clause in it. However, the report indicates that the teenage prodigy could be available for a fee of around €40 million.

Whether Real Madrid would be willing to spend such a sum on a player who is playing his first season at the highest level remains to be seen.

Moreover, the competition from clubs like Chelsea, PSG, and Manchester United could drive the German U-21 international’s up further.

At the same time, though, Real Madrid have shown previously that they are not afraid to spend big on young players if they are the real deal. So, it will be interesting to see how things evolve with their interest in Coulibaly.