£5m ex-Newcastle United striker set for shock Real Madrid transfer

According to reports from Spain, Real Madrid are interested in signing former Newcastle United and Stoke City striker Joselu this summer. Joselu has starred for Espanyol this season, scoring 17 times in all competitions.

This form, coupled with a good season at Alaves last campaign that saw him net on 14 occasions, earned the 33-year-old a call-up to the Spain squad for the first time ever during the last international break. He carried on his club form onto the international stage by scoring just minutes after being introduced as a substitute.

In total, Joselu has scored 53 goals in the four seasons he has spent in Spain following his departure from Newcastle United in 2019. And he now has reported admirers in the capital with reports that Real Madrid see Joselu as a back-up option for Karim Benzema.

AS report that Joselu would add depth to Madrid’s squad in the short-term before they go ‘all out’ for either Kylian Mbappe of Erling Haaland in the 2024 summer transfer window. 

A move to Real Madrid would be Joselu’s second-stint at the Santiago Bernabeu. After impressing at Real Madrid Castilla, Joselu played twice for Los Blancos under Jose Mourinho and scored on both occasions, netting in an 8-1 win over Almeria and a 5-1 Copa Del Rey win over Ponferradina.

Brought in by Rafa Benitez to bolster his attacking options, Joselu netted just seven times in 52 appearances for Newcastle during his two years on Tyneside. He was sold by the Magpies for just £2m in the summer of 2019 before Steve Bruce was appointed as manager.