Zidane set to bring Vallejo back with Pepe likely to leave
Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane is thinking ahead to 2017-18. With Pepe likely leaving, having not tied up a new deal, on loan central defender Vallejo will be back in the squadReal Madrid-Sevilla live: LaLiga
Vallejo returning to Real Madrid
Jesús Vallejo will be back with Real Madrid as of 30 June 2017, and will be returning to the Spanish capital, and Zinedine Zidane's squad, to stay. With it looking almost certain that Pepe will be on his way (his contract finishes this coming summer and he's failed to sign a new deal) there will be a central defender sized hole in Zidane's squad, and the French coach, having seen Vallejo's performances in Germany with Eintracht, where he's on loan, has decided he's the man for the job.
Vallejo's stellar performances with Eintracht
Real Madrid are currently sending a scout to every second game Vallejo plays, to watch him in person, and the reports are impeccable so far this season. He's started 16 of Eintracht's 18 games so far this season. He's played 1,472 minutes (91% of the possible total), and he's become the boss of the Eintracht backline, in a team that's fourth in the Bundesliga. His coach Kovac is delighted with him: "It's madness, I've never seen a player like him. He sees things so clearly, he's 19 and it looks like he's 30".
Eintracht looked to extend loan deal
In fact Vallejo's performances have been so outstanding Eintracht were pushing to extend his loan deal by two years, just a few weeks ago. Fredi Bobic, the club's sporting director, met Madrid's José Ángel Sánchez, but Madrid's answer was no. At that point it wasn't absolutely definitive, but the answer from the Bernabéu is now: Vallejo will not be staying in Germany.
Vallejo: six million euros
Madrid paid six million euros for the player in 2015, signing a six year deal with him. He's been out on loan twice (one season to Zaragoza and his current loan deal to Eintracht) and Madrid now consider he's ready to join the first team squad under Zidane. Vallejo will be 20 on 4 January 2017, and at the moment he's attempting to keep calm despite the whirl of good news surrounding him, that said, he's made no secret of his desire: "My motivation is to play with Real Madrid one day". As of 30 June 2017 that's almost certain to be be a reality.