Real Madrid: 6 cost-effective midfield targets in summer 2020

Schalke DM Omar Mascarell

Count this as an outside-the-box idea that has almost no chance of happening, but imagine if Real Madrid reunited with Omar Mascarell, whom they sold to the Bundesliga for 10 million euros. The defensive midfielder had a rough start to life in Gelsenkirchen, but he’s now become a key leader and starter for FC Schalke 04, even upping his performances from Eintracht Frankfurt.

Mascarell led all Bundesliga players last season with 2.7 interceptions per game, according to WhoScored.com. Schalke are desperate to make money this summer, and Mascarell would net them 11 million euros, which Real could easily afford. He’d be a great stopgap option behind Casemiro, but it’s unclear if the Royal Blues would want to sell such an important player.

Real Madrid DM Antonio Blanco

A more likely option is top Castilla prospect Antonio Blanco, who is fresh off making a name for himself in the footballing world as the star of the show in Real Madrid Juvenil A’s youth Champions League triumph.

Blanco is already ready to be a first-team backup behind Casemiro and could eventually be a successor. He has world-class written all over him and has more upside than anyone else on this list. Blanco is incredibly consistent and showed during the Champions League that he’s ready to be a backup in Real’s first team.