Reigning European and Spanish League champions Real Madrid are reportedly tracking Spanish Valencia left-back Jose Luis Gaya.
According to a report in TransferMarketWeb, Jose Gaya is expected to leave the Mestalla in the summer after 12 years Valencia, with Real Madrid interested. The 22-year-old is also being monitored by other European heavyweights like Juventus, Manchester United, Inter Milan and AS Roma.
The report states that Gaya is expected to cost any potential suitors around €30 million, a steal for a player of his quality in this inflated market. His acquisition will help Real Madrid add some more youth and depth to their squad, and they could be sorted with regard to that position for another decade.
Marcelo, who turns 30 in May isn’t going anywhere anytime soon given his form, but Real Madrid do need to start thinking about the future. They already have the 20-year-old Theo Hernandez in their ranks, but he hasn’t been able to make a big impression in his first season at the Bernabeu.
Theo has only been able to make 19 appearances for Real Madrid over the course of the season, starting only 13 of those games. Los Blancos may consider sending the Frenchman out on loan or selling him outright to cut their losses. Gaya would prove to a far more experienced replacement.
Gaya, who was born in Pedreguer, Alicante, has spent his entire formative years at Valencia, joining their youth system in 2006. He has featured 138 times for Los Che since making his debut in 2012, scoring 4 goals and contributing 16 assists in the process.
So it comes as no surprise that Real Madrid, as well as other clubs are interested in the youngster who has made well over a 100 appearances in the Spanish top flight. Gaya is almost making a strong case to be picked in Spain’s World Cup squad for the summer.
However, at this age, Gaya needs to be playing week in and week out and regular game time isn’t something that he can be guaranteed at Real Madrid and he would be playing second fiddle to Marcelo when the Brazilian is fit, for the foreseeable future.
Valencia are also in line for a return to the Champions League next season, so it remains to be seen whether the prospect of bigger wages and competing for major trophies on a regular basis can convince Gaya to move away from the club in the summer, even if it means more time on the bench at Real Madrid.
