French football legend Zinedine Zidane remains an influential figure at Real Madrid, maintaining a strong relationship with club president Florentino Perez, who often consults him on French players.
Zidane, a former player and coach, is a trusted advisor during challenging times for the club. According to Spanish outlet *Defensa Central*, Zidane recently expressed his admiration for RB Leipzig's young French center-back, Castello Lukeba, stating, "This young man is very good." Lukeba has also caught the attention of Real Madrid’s chief scout, Juni Calafat.
At 21, Lukeba is considered one of France’s top defensive prospects, with a contract at Leipzig until 2028 and a current market value of €40 million. Despite his rising stock, Real Madrid has yet to finalize a move for a center-back, preferring to thoroughly assess the market, particularly when no player stands out in the same way as left-back Alphonso Davies or right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Real Madrid is cautious about transfers, having learned from previous signings like Luka Jovic and Mariano Diaz. Zidane’s praise for Lukeba has reportedly prompted Florentino Perez to give the club’s transfer team the green light to pursue the defender, with Zidane believing Lukeba could surpass young stars like Lenny Yoro, who joined Manchester United last summer.