Real Madrid step up their interest in Napoli's Fabián Ruiz
The midfielder has yet to renew a contract extension with the Neapolitan outfit and Real Madrid club officials are optimistic in securing his services next summer.
Fabián Ruiz is one of Real Madrid's key targets for the 2020-21 season. The club from the capital are aware that they face stiff competition for his signature from the likes of Barcelona, Atlético and Manchester City but everything indicates that the Sevilla born player has his heart set on a move to the Santiago Bernabéu as contacts between Madrid and the player's representatives intensify.
Interest in the Spanish international is nothing new with the player making his intentions clear last clear that, despite overtures from Madrid last June, his desire was to remain with the Serie A side for the 2019-20 season and secure a place in the Spanish squad ahead of Euro 2020.
Champions League income key
Napoli have made a number of attempts to extend the players contract, (which currently expires in 2023) but to no avail and at present the player has no set buy-out clause. Ruiz's strategy appears to accept a renewal but insist that Napoli stipulate a buy-out clause that remains under the 100 million euro mark with Real Madrid currently unwilling to consider the 180 million euro price that Napoli president De Laurentiis has stipulated. The final price may have much to do with the Neapolitan side securing Champions League football next season with failure to do so triggering a need to sell players as a means to compensate the economic shortfall.
At present Napoli are busy in trying to renew the likes of Callejón and Mertens (both free agents come July 1st 2020) along with the contracts of Milik, Zielinski and Maksimovic (which expire in 2021).