Mayoral will be Benzema’s backup if Jovic leaves Real Madrid -report

Borja Mayoral is set to return to Real Madrid after spending the last few years on loan with Levante, Roma and Getafe. Right now, Mayoral is Madrid’s main candidate to be Karim Benzema’s backup if Luka Jovic leaves the club and joins Fiorentina, a move that is all but done. Mayoral would only stay in the club if one of Mariano or Jovic leaves Real Madrid, as Ancelotti doesn’t want to have three backup strikers on the roster, according to AS.

Real Madrid are not considering any signings for that role this summer, so if everything goes according to plan, Mayoral and Mariano would compete for that spot. However, the 2022-2023 season will be special due to the 2022 FIFA World Cup being played during the winter, so Ancelotti might need to rotate Benzema more often than what he did this past season, meaning that his backup could end up playing relevant minutes throughout the year.

In that context, Mayoral seems to be a good fit to replace Benzema, as they have a similar playing style. It’s true that the Spanish attacker didn’t reach the ceiling he once had, but he proved to be a solid striker during his year in Roma and coach Ancelotti will be hoping to see that version of him this upcoming season.