Real Madrid officially announced the signing of David Alaba from Bayern Munich on a free transfer yesterday. The signing of the Austrian is the first step towards rebuilding the squad for whoever is deemed to be the next manager.
As of now, Los Blancos are looking into the option of either hiring Antonio Conte, who recently resigned from Inter Milan, or Paris Saint-Germain’s Mauricio Pochettino as the replacements for Zinedine Zidane’s seat in the dugout.
Whoever gets appointed from either of the two, will first need to deal with five prevailing issues at Real Madrid before they can implement their plans for the season.
I have made a list of five issues that need to be addressed immediately once a new manager is appointed.
RENEWALS OF RAMOS AND VAZQUEZ AT REAL MADRID
Sergio Ramos and Lucas Vazquez will be free agents if their contracts are not renewed by the end of June. Their importance in the squad and their commitment towards the team is unquestionable, however, the club is yet to renew either of their contracts.
Ramos, who is 35-years-old, demands a two-year contract which is against the renewal policy of the club. Florentino Perez is firm on offering only a one-year contract with a 10% reduction in wages. Sergio Ramos is yet to accept the deal, however, he could be forced into it if he fails to receive a better offer from another club over the summer.
Meanwhile, Lucas Vazquez and his agent believe that the 29-year-old deserves a three-year contract along with a 15% increase in his salary. Vazquez feels underappreciated by the wages he receives when compared to the likes of Luka Jovic who earns far more than the Spaniard despite warming the bench on most occasions.
His 15% increase in salary could be a deal-breaker, as Real are currently undergoing a financial crisis. The club will look to cut cost from all possible avenues and are also keen on selling several first-team members. With that being said, either Vazquez accepts the offer from Perez or leaves on a free transfer.