Real Madrid, by the looks of it, is heading towards an eventful transfer window this summer. While the club management has set their heart at purchasing a forward, a section that mustn’t be overlooked is their midfield.
Sure, Real’s midfield right now is one of the best in Europe. But, it can’t be negated out that they struggle against quality, Chelsea, for example. With two of the main veterans aging and Casemiro working without a backup choice, here are five midfielders that Real should keep a close eye on.
5. N’Golo Kante
For piloting the responsibility of being Real Madrid’s first line of defense, we already have a world-class defensive midfielder in Carlos Casemiro. But, the cause of worry here is that he is the only proper defensive midfielder we have in the squad, forcing him to operate for most of the season without a backup.
As such, it is no wonder that N’Golo Kante can be a good player to keep an eye on. We saw Kante’s quality very recently in the semifinals of the Champions League. And, it pretty much seemed like wherever our attackers saw any space, the same face closed them down.
Kante has suffered setbacks in the season due to injuries but he remains one of the top choices for the DM position. The Frenchman, when asked to play further up, has proved that he is effective offensively as well. According to Jamie Spencer at 90min.com, Chelsea may look to part ways with the 30-year old whose contract extends until 2023.
With a valuation ranging around 55 million euros, per Transfermarkt, N’Golo Kante may well be a good quick fix to form a partnership with Casemiro and give the very required defensive edge to Real’s midfield. Yes, he is 30 but we saw that he is not your regular 30 years old in the recent ties. Furthermore, Zinedine Zidane and Real Madrid have had him on the radar, this transfer window could just be the time to make a move.
4. Eduardo Camavinga
As good as Kante sounds, he is indeed aging. As such, building a team around a 30-year-old may not be the best move for Los Blancos to make right now. Here is where the next player on the list makes his case. A French wonder-kid, Eduardo Camavinga may very well be the successor of the Brazilian, Casemiro at Bernabeu.
The 18-year old Rennes player is often called the next big name in the defensive midfield section. He has successfully become a crucial pillar of the Ligue 1 outfit. In doing so, he has shown that despite his age, there is a visible maturity in his style of play.
He is a special talent and his inclusion in the squad could mean that Casemiro can at times be given the necessary rest who otherwise is playing every single game of the season, leaving the ones he was suspended for aside. Camavinga can also step up, per need, and also provide the necessary cover on counters at a good pace.
The best part about the move, if made, would be that both Real Madrid and Camavinga would be beneficiaries. Firstly, he would get to play with Casemiro, a certified legend in the position, and can benefit from it regularly. His valuation, per Transfermarkt, is around 50 million euros, a price subject to interest from other clubs.
However, Real Madrid wouldn’t mind investing in promising young talent, they have looked out and made few similar moves in the recent past and they have been paying them off well. Camavinga may well be the next addition to that set of future stars that Real is so keen on producing.
3. Paul Pogba
With Toni Kroos and Luka Modric aging, Real Madrid needs to complete a future midfield that will comprise Casemiro in an anchoring role and Fede Valverde on the right of a three. The requirement ergo is of a creative player who could provide some spark in the playmaking. And, that someone could be Paul Pogba.
He is approaching the end of his time at Manchester United and has always had a keen admirer in Zinedine Zidane. The admiration is mutual as is evident from the midfielder’s words describing the prospects of playing for Zidane, ‘a dream for anyone who likes football’ making his secret liking of Real Madrid a little more surfacing.
Whatever issues, the Frenchman has experienced in the Premier League, there’s little doubt that he still is one of the best vertical passers of the ball in the game. His range of abilities includes ball carrying, creativity, and a threat on goal. He might be a perfect solution in linking the midfield to Real’s frontline.
Pogba, of course, is a certified star of the game. A footballing celebrity by all means of the definition, who could restore some of the sheens to Real Madrid while also adding to their commercial armory.
Handily, he has been devalued by his time in England, no longer quite able to command the same fees or wages, so – for once – Manchester United and Mino Riola may be forced to compromise. Currently, valued at 80 million euros, he could be a steal who very recently has had good performances in the Europa League.
2. Nicolo Barella
Nicolo Barella is one of the best midfielders in Serie A, this season and of course the league winner after Inter Milan were crowned champions very recently. He is someone who could be eyed as a potential Luka Modric replacement at 24 years of age.
Barella is the product of one of the finest football academies, Cagliari Academy who joined Inter back in 2019, initially one a loan deal and later stealing him for a 25 million pounds transfer fee for his services.
He is a strong passer of the ball with good creativity and technical awareness. He has impressed immensely this season and nonetheless will have a Serie A title on his CV. He could be a key player for Roberto Mancini’s Italy in the Euros this summer. A good run of show can thus make his case even better for Real Madrid.
This season alone, he has made 44 appearances for Antonio Conte’s Inter Milan, per WhoScored. In them, he has scored thrice and has eight assists by his name. He is average 1.4 key passes per match and all that makes for a league-winning offensive record.
Currently valued at 55 million euros by Transfermarkt, he could be the long-term replacement for current star man Luka Modric. At 24 years of age, he wouldn’t be a youngster that Real may bring in to experiment rather he could straight away get into the system and develop a partnership with Fede Valverde. He could thus be a quick fix who would still have a handy foreseeable future with the club.
1. Ryan Gravenberch
Riding on the top of the list is a young Ajax midfielder who has surprised the footballing community with all the minutes he is getting at just 18 years of age. Ajax arguably has one of the finest academies and is one of their recent products who looks set for a future at a big club.
Ryan has all the attributes that can make him one of the best midfielders in the world. He is precise with his passing, is a good dribbler of the ball, and has a decent defensive record in Eredivisie, this season. If given the right attention, he could be the next big thing.
For a young flourishing player what could be better than playing with legends like Toni Kroos and Luka Modric on the same side? He could benefit out of this transfer and at just 18 years of age, he qualifies for Real’s intent to invest in promising youngsters.
And is Ryan not promising? In the Champions League and Europa League this season, he has maintained a near-about 85% passing accuracy, 8.2 ball recoveries, 6.6 tackles won, and 2.5 interceptions, per Whoscored. With his offensive prowess, he could also be a handy defensive addition to have on the side.
In the Eredivisie, he has made 30 appearances for the club, all as a starter. In them, he scored thrice and assisted five times. He is averaging 1.2 key passes and 1.7 completed dribbles per game. Another impressive league-winning record. With a 28 million euro valuation, he could be a steal, and Real Madrid, an enticing destination for the Dutchman.