After a trophyless season for Real Madrid in 2020/21, it is time for the club to make some reinforcements to the current squad to make sure that the club can bounce back next season. With a new manager at the helm, there will be a change in ideology, and we can also expect a change in personnel.
One department where a boost is needed in the midfield. Real Madrid does have some legends like Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, and Casemiro in their ranks, with a youngster like Fede Valverde impressing every time he gets a chance. But Luka Modric is going to turn 36 this September, and he shouldn’t be starting every game as he did in the previous season. Kroos and Casemiro are in their prime, but the former is 31 now, and it would be unfair to expect him to perform at the highest level after two to three seasons.
Not to forget that Casemiro doesn’t have a proper backup, and Isco might leave the club this summer. The possible options to fill in those empty spots are players like Martin Odegaard, Dani Ceballos, and Antonio Blanco, but their futures are certain at the moment with Carlo Ancelotti yet to have a look at them in the training.
This makes sense for Real Madrid to go for a midfielder in this transfer window, who can serve as a backup for the LCM position of Toni Kroos or the defensive midfield position occupied by Casemiro. They have some options in Spain, as we have discussed once, but Real Madrid needs to look at other leagues as well.
One such league where one can find such talented midfielders in Serie A. There are a lot of up-and-coming midfield talents in Italy, while some have already made a name for themselves at their respective clubs. So let us have a look at five such midfielders, who can be possible midfield targets for Real Madrid this summer.
Rodrigo De Paul (Udinese)
The Udinese captain, who has been in fantastic form in the last two seasons, is the first name on this list. He has come to fame at the age of 27, and it might be fair to call him a late bloomer. But regardless of his age, he has been brilliant for Udinese, and he has now become one of the mainstays of the Argentina national team.
Looking at his successful 2020/21 season, it is safe to call him one of the best attacking midfielders of the league. He has nine goals and nine assists to his name this season, and he averages 2.3 key passes per game and 4.5 long balls per game as per WhoScored. He is the player with the most successful take-ons, most duels won, most big chances created, and most number of passes into the penalty box in Serie A.
Though he is primarily an attack-minded player, he is not a classic no.10. He is a great presser off the ball, and his defensive support is pretty decent. He also has the ability to play a bit deeper as a central midfielder, as well as a winger. He is a strong player with a great physique, but what makes him the best is his dribbling and playmaking abilities. He can burst through tight spaces with his beautiful touch of the ball and will end that dribble with a killer pass or powerful shot. He’s someone who can guarantee you an end product.
With such a great profile to his name, it’s natural to expect high competition. AC Milan and Inter Milan are in the race for the Argentine, while Atletico Madrid is already in talks with him as per Fabrizio Romano. Udinese value him at 40 million euros and Atletico, who see him as a possible replacement for Saul Niguez, are willing to meet the price.
It might be too late for Real Madrid to enter the race, but he is a player no club would want to miss out on. Maybe Real Madrid wouldn’t consider him as a target due to the abundance of number 10’s in the team, but it wouldn’t be wrong for the club to pursue such a talented midfielder.
Sergej Milinkovic-Savic (Lazio)
Sergej Milinkovic-Savic is a name that has been linked to Real Madrid since the summer of 2017. The Serbian was heavily linked to the club back then, after a terrific season in 2016/17. But the club couldn’t sign him then, due to Lazio demanding more than 100 million euros for the midfielder.
But now, Milinkovic-Savic might be a realistic option for the club. In an interview with Nova Tv this year, he confessed that it is his dream to play at Real Madrid, as reported by AS.
He is a world-class player who has the capability to play for Real Madrid. This box-to-box midfielder is a fine blend of athleticism and technical quality, which makes him a perfect fit for modern football. He is a dead ball specialist, and 4 goals of his 8 goals and 11 assists in 2020/21 are from freekicks.
Signing a Serbian like him might be helpful for one of his compatriots at Real Madrid in Luka Jovic, who certainly seems to have a language problem at Madrid and is a reserved person. But it is tough to see him land in the Spanish capital this summer, as he would like to be a starter at his new club. And Juventus looks like his next destination, with him being frequently linked to the Turin based in recent weeks.
Manuel Locatelli (US Sassuolo)
The next name on the list is that of the 23-year-old defensive midfielder of Sassuolo, Manuel Locatelli. Locatelli has been one of the best young midfielders in Serie A, and his quality has drawn the attention of a lot of big clubs like Manchester City, Chelsea, and Juventus.
The Italian international is the complete midfield package, a player who could be a dream signing for any top quality. As a CDM he is proactive in defending, but what makes him special are his skills with the ball at his feet. He has got the ability to distribute the ball with ease, and he can also act as a ball carrier.
He averages 84.9 passes per 90, along with 5.1 long balls per 90 minutes, as per WhoScored.He also averages 2.4 tackles and 1.5 interceptions per 90 minutes, which proves his robustness in defence. His skill-set enables him to play as a central midfielder as well, which makes him a huge asset for any club.
Currently, he is linked to the Italian giants, Juventus. But Italian Journalist Rudy Galetti reports that Real Madrid is ready to bid 40 million for the midfielder and beat Juventus to his signing. We have to wait and watch if Real Madrid is really going behind him. But one thing is for sure, he would be a great rotational player and a future starter for Real Madrid if he joins the club this summer.
Ismael Bennacer (AC Milan)
AC Milan has some great midfielders in their ranks like Hakan Calhanoglu, Franck Kessie, and Sandro Tonali, but the player who will be the most suitable midfielder for Real Madrid is the 23-year-old Algerian Ismael Bennacer.
Bennacer had formed a solid double-pivot along with Franck Kessie in the challenging 4-2-3-1 formation, and he has been the driving force for the Rossoneri. He could’ve contributed even more in the Europa League, if not for some fitness issues in the middle of the season. He has only 3 assist to his name this season, but those numbers don’t show the complete picture of the player Bennacer is.
The Arsenal youth product is an energetic player who can excel as a central midfielder or even in a double pivot. Defensively he is fine, but his capability to act as a ball carrier who can burst through any tight space under pressure makes him special. His ball control and agility are his main strengths, and his being a left-footed player can bring some variety to Real Madrid, who lack a left-footed central midfielder.
Real Madrid has been in the race for Bennacer along with Manchester City last year, with the former manager Zinedine Zidane said to be a great fan of the Algerian. But with a change in manager, it is to be seen if Real Madrid will rekindle their interest in this midfielder who is an expert at pulling the strings in the midfield.
Nicolo Barella (Inter Milan)
If there is any name that is hard to exclude from the best young midfielders across Europe and not just Italy, it is the name of Nicolo Barella, the 24-year-old Inter Milan sensation. He has been the talk of Italy and is touted to be a key transfer target to watch out in Euros, with him entering the competition after a highly successful 2020/21 campaign with the Nerazzuri.
Ever since his move from Cagliari to Internazionale in the summer of 2019, Barella’s graph has only been going upwards. He took his game to a greater level in the recently finished 2020/21 season as he registered 4 goals and 9 assists to his name across all competitions.
If anyone watches Barella playing, the first word that would come to their mind is elegance, the same word that comes to our mind when we see the likes of Zinedine Zidane and Luka Modric playing. And Barella’s style of play looks highly similar to that of Luka Modric, given his supreme press resistance and ball carrying abilities.
Real Madrid have already witnessed his brilliance in November 2020 at the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano, when he produced that outrageous backheel assist to Lautaro Martinez, which shocked Sergio Ramos who was marking the player. Given the quality of the player, it wouldn’t be surprising if Real Madrid goes for the Italian international.
The current manager Carlo Ancelotti is said to be a great fan of Barella, whom he tried to sign back in 2019 when he was the gaffer at Napoli. Despite their financial struggles and the heavy interest from big clubs, Inter is keen to hold onto the midfielder for the next season. But it is a long summer, and anything can happen in the transfer market. And if Real Madrid does develop an interest in the player, they shouldn’t have any second thoughts about the player and try their best to sign the possible replacement for Luka Modric.