RB Leipzig defender Dayot Upamecano has previously confessed to modelling his game on Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos.
Upamecano is said to be one of the brightest prospects in football with a long list of elite clubs linked to his signature and he has been instrumental in RB Leipzig’s rise to prominence in recent years.
A recent report from Sky Germany said that ‘the major clubs’ in Spain wanted to sign the defender, with quotes now emerging that he had attempted to improve his game based on Ramos.
“For me, Ramos is the best defender in the world,” Upamecano told Foot Mercato, as cited by Diario AS, last year. “At the beginning I played in all positions and when they fixed me as central defender, I started to observe him a lot.
“His personality is special and that’s why I think he could be very comfortable in those tournaments. Above all, what I love about Sergio is his game.”
It was recently reported by Diario AS that Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane sees the 21-year-old as an ideal alternative to either Sergio Ramos or Raphael Varane, with question marks over the future of Eder Militao.
In February, El Mundo Deportivo linked Barcelona with a move for the central defender, who is one of the main reasons why RB Leipzig are in the thick of a title race in the Bundesliga this season and into the quarter-finals of the Champions League, were they comfortably eliminated Tottenham.
Upamecano joined Leipzig from RB Salzburg in January 2017 and has grown into an influential player since with Manchester City, Manchester United and Bayern Munich among the other clubs linked.
The defender, who has been capped at Under-21 level by France, told Telefoot in 2018: “When I was younger I dreamed of playing for Real Madrid, Barcelona or Manchester United.
“To get to that level you have to do a lot of work to be recognised and I hope to keep going in the same direction I have been.
“My achievements so far make me proud and I want to keep moving in the same direction – right now I am with Leipzig but hopefully I have a long future ahead of me.”
