Zinedine Zidane and Florentino Perez Set for Possible Clash Over Summer Defensive Targets

Real Madrid's two titans at the head of the club are set to clash over their preferred centre-back targets this summer, with Zinedine Zidane wanting to sign Kalidou Koulibaly while president Florentino Perez prefers Jose Maria Gimenez. 

With Raphael Varane telling the club that he wants to leave this summer after winning four Champions League titles by the age of 25, AS report that Los Blancos are looking at a future which could see them have to regenerate their defence sooner than expected. 

Zidane's shock return to the club was predicated on him having greater control over transfers than he was previously offered by Perez, but his personal defensive target will be difficult to acquire – with Koulibaly signing a new long-term deal at Napoli last summer.

A €150m release clause will kick in on that deal but not until the summer of 2020, by which time Real will hope to have replaced Varane if the Frenchman leaves this coming summer. 

Gimenez is a slightly more manageable target, with a release clause available to be activated immediately – but the €120m Real would have to pay for the 24-year-old is more than the €100m they are rumoured to be demanding for Varane's sale.

Atletico Madrid are highly unlikely to allow Real to negotiate that price down, partly because of the rivalry between the two sides but mostly because, with the confirmed departure of Lucas Hernandez and the likely end of Diego Godin's time in the capital, key pieces of Diego Simeone's defence are being torn away. 

Veteran full-backs Filipe Luis and Juanfran may also choose to leave the club at the end of the season, while backup centre-back Stefan Savic could also depart, leaving Simeone with large gaps in front of Jan Oblak where footballers should be.