Real Madrid are reportedly tracking the progress of 18-year-old Croatian whizkid Roko Simic, currently on loan at FC Liefering from Red Bull Salzburg.
According to a report by Spanish publication Mundo Deportivo, Roko Simic has officially penned a new contract with parent club Red Bull Salzburg. The 18-year-old Croatian whizkid is the subject of interest from Real Madrid over a potential move in future.
Roko Simic spent his formative years in Zagreb, going through the academies of Dinamo Zagreb, NK Kustosija and Lokomotiva Zagreb. The teenage prodigy graduated from the Lokomotiva youth setup before making his first-team debut for them last year.
After impressing for the Croatian club last season, the 18-year-old earned a move to Red Bull Salzburg, with the Austrian giants then loaning him to sister club FC Liefering immediately. So far, Simic has made quite an impression at Liefering, with eight goals in 11 games so far. His progress has not gone unnoticed, with Real Madrid closely monitoring the Croatian whizkid.
Real Madrid are constantly on the lookout for the most promising talents across the world, with such an outlook fetching them several players who have already become first-team regulars. Some of these aforementioned players are Federico Valverde, Vinicius Jr. and Rodrygo Goes.
Red Bull Salzburg seem to be the breeding ground for many-a-target for Real Madrid of late, with Benjamin Sesko, in particular, attracting a lot of interest from the Merengues. And now, it looks like Simic has also popped up on the radar of Real Madrid.
Los Blancos are currently hot on the trails of another former Salzburg prodigy in Erling Haaland, and are rated the favourites to secure his services. However, with Karim Benzema approaching the final phase of his career, it will be prudent of Real Madrid to keep the option of signing another striker in the form of Simic, especially with Luka Jovic and Mariano Diaz failing to impress.
A move next summer appears to be out of question, especially with Simic signing a new deal running through to the summer of 2025 with Salzburg. However, after emerging on Real Madrid’s radar, it looks like a future move could be on the cards for the 18-year-old Croatian prodigy.
Simic is a fantastic player