Jovic sought a new team after speaking with Zidane

Posted Friday, October 16, 2020 by Marca.com

Luka Jovic and his representatives were looking for possible destinations during the month of September, something that was first announced by MARCA.

Zinedine Zidane was clear when the Serbian striker asked him what his role would be at Real Madrid in the 2020/21 season, which would not be too different from his debut campaign in the Spanish capital.

From that moment on, Real Madrid began to listen to offers and enquiries, while they also looked at what to do with Mariano Diaz after his refusal to leave and the debate over whether to keep Borja Mayoral at the club or not. The idea with Jovic was for him to go out on loan in order to get the game time that he clearly wasn't going to get under Zidane.

The days went by and no concrete offers arrived for Jovic. Meanwhile, Mayoral saw his minutes increase as he played in two of the opening three league matches played, being decisive in the Real Betis clash as he won the penalty that Sergio Ramos converted to secure a 3-2 win.

Even in the final hours of the transfer window, a change was expected, yet Jovic being named in the starting line-up for two games in a row surprised everyone, even the player himself. The window slammed shut and the Serbian remained at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, as did Mariano, while Mayoral left for Roma.

Zidane has been clear that Karim Benzema is his first-choice No.9 and unless he plays with two strikers, he will be the starter for most of Real Madrid's matches this season. Jovic knows it and that's why he was keen to seek a departure on loan. Mariano knows it too, but he rejected every proposal that came in for him.

Real Madrid, the club's directors, know that the No.9 position is one that will need to be addressed sooner or later, with there being a need to find someone who can first coexist with Benzema but eventually take the reins. Jovic and Mariano have not convinced the club or the coaches, but during this season they will be at Zidane's disposal. And the No.9 that Real Madrid like is Borussia Dortmund's Erling Haaland, with Paris Saint-Germain's Kylian Mbappe on the periphery.