Everton, Newcastle United and Southampton are among the clubs credited with an interest in Mohammed Salisu.
Zinedine Zidane has placed a reported Everton, Newcastle United and Southampton target at the top of his list, according to AS.
Diario de Valladolid reported earlier this season that Everton, Newcastle and Southampton, as well as Norwich City and Manchester United and a string of clubs across Europe, have all sent representatives to watch Mohammed Salisu this season.
And The Daily Mirror claimed last month that the Saints were closing in on a move for Salisu, who has a buyout clause of €12 million (around £10.1m).
The Ghanaian centre-back ultimately stayed put. But with Zidane’s Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Manchester United all said to have made enquiries, the likes of Everton, Newcastle and Southampton may soon wish they had acted faster.
Salisu is in his first full season in Valladolid’s first team and does not turn 21 until April this year.
But he is widely credited as the reason behind the Castilla y León side’s impressive defensive record, which is the fifth-best in La Liga despite the club’s lowly position of 15th.
Interestingly, Salisu’s agent is the father of the Manchester United midfielder Juan Mata. But according to AS, Real Madrid are confident they will be first in line ‘due to the amicable relationship between Florentino Pérez and Ronaldo, the Brazilian former Blancos striker and current Valladolid owner.
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