Real Madrid Transfers: It might be time to change course with CB target

Real Madrid are heading into uncharted waters when the 2021-2022 season begins. For the first time in many years, Los Blancos won’t have a settled, world-class center back partnership. With Sergio Ramos already at PSG and now Raphael Varane set to join Manchester United, Real are going to lose both halves of the best center back pairing of the last several years. And before that, they had Pepe alongside Ramos.

Now, while Los Merengues should have another great center back partnership in Eder Militao and either Nacho Fernandez or David Alaba, the team’s depth looks a little bit concerning. Ferland Mendy has been floated around as a possible center back option, but, currently, it looks like either Victor Chust or Jesus Vallejo could be the fourth center back in Madrid.

That’s not ideal. Let’s get Vallejo out of the way first. The loanee has failed to impress at recent loans to Wolves and Granada. It has been years since he was playing effective football for Eintracht Frankfurt. If Vallejo isn’t cutting it for a smaller LaLiga side, then what makes anyone think he can be an option for Real Madrid? As we saw last season with all the injuries, center back depth is not something to trifle with.

Then there is Chust. He is a decent young player, but there is nothing about him that makes fans feel he is ready to be a first-team center back for Real Madrid. Given Castilla’s ambitions of promotions after coming oh-so-close last year, Chust is very important to Los Blancos in that capacity as Castilla’s captain.

Real Madrid should reopen their interest in Jules Kounde

Before the summer transfer window began, Madridistas had a sinking feeling that David Alaba was signed to replace Ramos. But even if Alaba were the direct replacement as the left center back, there was an assumption that Real would sign another center back to replace Varane if he were to be sold – such is the caliber of player the club would be losing in Varane.

And yet, everything points to Real Madrid not having any interest in the top center back available for them, which is Sevilla’s Jules Kounde. Apparently, Real do not feel the need to sign any center backs, despite selling Varane.

Maybe saving every cent for Kylian Mbappe is a part of the calculation, but you would think that Real could afford Kounde and Mbappe. More to the point, it seems as if Mbappe will go all-in with this PSG superteam before leaving on a free, as PSG evidently have no intention of selling him. They view a Champions League shot as more valuable than the 120 million euros – or thereabouts – that they would get for Mbappe.

So that, in theory, opens up space for Real Madrid to sign an important depth player. And who more valuable than an ascending, young center back coming off two great seasons in the very same league? Sure, he had a subpar Euro, but do you really want to go with that sample size in an undefined role on a team that Didier Deschamps essentially doomed with his unimaginative managing? That does not seem like a great way to evaluate talent.

I am not saying Real Madrid should throw money around and meet whatever price Sevilla ask. It won’t be easy to sign Kounde, who is safely under contract and remains very important to the powerhouse of Andalusia.

But Kounde is a great player who can meet the demands of a starter at Real Madrid in the future. He is one of the very few players worth inquiring about. Los Blancos cannot get complacent in replacing two legendary figures at center back, and, thus, Kounde is still an avenue worth keeping open as we head into August.