Three players Real Madrid won’t sign but totally should

Transfer season always leads to a bunch of crazy rumors, and fans speculate wildly about who might join the team. Usually, we try to analyze the transfers that are most likely to actually happen. But I thought it would be fun to dream big, and put together a wish-list of players Real Madrid are not linked to, and probably will never sign, but that I’d love Madrid to acquire. Here’s my list of three transfers that definitely won’t happen (this summer, at least) but totally should.

1. Cesar Azpilicueta

Why Real Madrid should sign him:

Chelsea’s Cesar Azpilicueta, or Dave as he is known by Chelsea fans, is a jack-of-all-trades defender who can play in various spots across the back line.  George Perry from We Aint Got No History describes Dave as a “right back-turned-left back-turned centre-back.”

As that article points out, Azpilicueta brings plenty of strengths. He is versatile, dedicated, a hard worker, and relatively skilled in the air despite coming in at a fairly short 5’10”.

But Perry also notes that teams are beginning to exploit Dave’s weaknesses, in particular through his aerial game. And, Azpi is at risk of losing his place in Chelsea’s starting lineup once Nathan Ake, Kurt Zouma, and Andreas Christensen are fully re-integrated into the squad. Chelsea fans may have to start envisioning a dreaded, “Cesar-less future,” Perry adds.

Azpilicueta is a versatile Spanish full-back turned center-back who can play anywhere across the back line. He may not be the best in the air, but he typically makes up for it with disciplined play and contributions at both ends of the pitch.

Does this sound like someone else you know?

That’s right, Cesar Azpilicueta is basically another version of Nacho. With Nacho rumored to be on Roma’s list of transfer targets, and Danilo likely on his way to Chelsea, Cesar Azpilicueta could fill the gaps anywhere across Madrid’s back line that he is needed.

Dave has experience winning league titles. He has already won two with Chelsea. And he’s done so playing under different managers, demonstrating he has what it takes to make it in a squad with high managerial turnover like Real Madrid.

Azpilicueta has Spanish pedigree, something which makes him a likely candidate to succeed at Madrid. He also is likely to play a role under Spanish National Team coach Julen Lopetegui.

If Danilo is gone, Madrid will need a back-up to Dani Carvajal. If Azpilicueta were happy with playing second fidddle, the natural right-back could definitely take that job.

Plus, if he transferred to Madrid, maybe the fans could actually pronounce his name correctly. It’s Az-pi-li-cue-ta. Not Dave.

Why Real Madrid won’t sign him:

Like I said before: Cesar Azpilicueta is basically a different version of Nacho. It’s hard to tell whether Nacho is the poor man’s Azpi, or vice-versa. I’m sure Madrid fans would tell you Nacho is the better player, and Chelsea fans would prefer their man.

Either way, Real Madrid already has a versatile swiss-army-knife of a defender who is very good at many things but still has weaknesses to be exploited. They don’t need another one.

Azpilicueta would make a great squad player at Real Madrid, but it’s not gonna happen. Or at least, it won’t happen unless Nacho gets shipped out. Real Madrid are simply too deep at the back right now.

Yes, Real Madrid did just get rid of Pepe and Coentrao. Yes, Danilo might also be on his way out. But Madrid did bring in Theo Hernandez and Jesus Vallejo to fill those gaps. Azpilicueta would be another star hungry for minutes on an already packed roster.

As long as Nacho is on the team, there’s no use in replacing Danilo with a jack-of-all-trades when we could get an actual, dedicated right-back to take his place.