Real Madrid: Here’s why the club must not let go of Brahim Diaz

Whenever a new manager arrives at a club, he will first look at the players at his disposal. He will examine each player present in his squad, and analyse if that particular player will fit into his plans or not. Every manager does take his own time to do that task, and Carlo Ancelotti will do the same at Real Madrid. And then he’ll ask the club for some signings, to cover up the spots where he feels a reinforcement is necessary.

That process will take some time, and the manager will determine the future of the club along with the Sporting director, who is currently Jose Angel Sanchez, though the general director might have to give his sporting role to Luis Campos in the near future.

But within 48 hours of his arrival, Jose Felix Diaz of MARCA has reported the names of the players who could leave this summer. And that list includes the name of Brahim Diaz, the 21-year-old youngster on loan at AC Milan.

Brahim Diaz had a great loan spell with the Rossoneri, with 7 goals and 4 assists to his name this season. But he had shown a lot more promise than what these numbers suggest, a reason why AC Milan are trying to extend Brahim’s loan deal by a year, or even buy him if possible. Should Real Madrid keep him or sell him?

Brahim Diaz is a special player with a wonderful skill-set

Brahim is a highly talented player, and in my opinion, he is the most talented and skillful player among the current crop of young attackers at Real Madrid. And a player like him has the ability to become a focal point in buildup at Real Madrid, similar to how he has been at the Spain-U21 side.

He is a great dribbler, with his small body frame and low centre of gravity enabling him to dribble at his will. He isn’t that quick off the ball, but his acceleration with the ball at his feet is insane and his work rate is pretty decent. His ability to operate in tight spaces due to his close control, and his supreme passing vision makes him much more lethal.

But what makes him different from the rest is his ambipedal nature. He has the ability to use both his feet with equal prowess, though he usually prefers the left to dribble, and the right foot for a shot. His two-footedness gives him the ability to play as an RW, LW and a No.10, and it makes him unpredictable as well, as defenders would often find it difficult to anticipate which way he is going to go. He doesn’t attempt many shots, but he is a decent finisher and likes to mask his shot or pass until the final moment.

This skill-set itself is enough for any top club to want such a talented player, despite his drawbacks of being a bit weak physically and taking considerable time with the ball at his feet. But what makes him more important for Real Madrid is his ability to operate in Zone 14. Real Madrid often finds it difficult to dominate Zone 14 against low blocks and create chances from the middle. Brahim is someone who can help Real Madrid in that regard, as someone who can operate in those halfspaces.

Why Real Madrid should hold onto him at any cost

Compared to the current pool of wingers who are at the club, Brahim looks a lot better than some of them. He should be getting a chance ahead of them, and the presence of world-class players in the team might actually help the Spaniard. But he is a bit raw in few aspects of the game, and any signs of drawbacks will lead to immense criticism from the highly demanding fans and the media who keep looking for a weakness to exploit.

Brahim has developed a lot in his loan spell at Milan, and another year at the Rossoneri on loan will be highly beneficial for him. But the problem is with Milan’s intent to buy him permanently. Real Madrid was able to avoid a buyout clause in the first loan deal, but this time Milan will likely be particular about the inclusion of a buyout clause. This increases the risk of losing Brahim, and another year away from the Spanish capital will increase his desire to continue at Milan.

Selling a gem like Brahim at such a young age will not be a great step for Madrid. It would be great if they try him out next season under Carlo Ancelotti, a manager who loves attacking midfielders. If there is no space for him, Real can at least take the option of loaning him out again. But they should never look to sell him at this age, especially when the signs are promising.

And above all, Brahim shouldn’t be sold by Real Madrid when he hasn’t even received a proper chance at the club. He had been at the club for one and a half seasons, but he never got a proper chance and consistent minutes to show his skill under any of Santiago Solari or Zinedine Zidane. For the patience Brahim has shown, and for his impeccable attitude as a player, Brahim should be given one proper opportunity at Real Madrid before the club comes to a decision on his future.