Real Madrid have been forced into an error at center back

Much has been made regarding the changes at the center back position for the upcoming season, as Real Madrid have lost two legendary figures and the best partnership in central defense of the last seven years or so in Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane.

Yet despite the worries surrounding Varane and Ramos, the reality is that the top three center backs in the squad are all perfectly competent starters. David Alaba briefly showed his world-class traits against Milan in Real’s final preseason friendly, Nacho Fernandez is someone Madridistas know they can rely on, and Eder Militao is coming off a tremendous final stretch of the 2020-2021 season.

So the real issue in Real Madrid is with the depth at the position. Beyond those three players, Real don’t really have anybody else, which is why some fans were hoping for a Jules Kounde approach to add one more high-quality option in central defense.

A Kounde signing looks incredibly unlikely. Instead, the fourth center back for Real Madrid next season will be none other than perennial loanee Jesus Vallejo, who has struggled mightily at Wolves and Granada over the past couple of seasons.

Real Madrid must roll with Jesus Vallejo as the fourth CB

According to a report from MARCA’s Carlos Carpio, Jesus Vallejo’s only other challenger for the fourth center back spot at Real Madrid, Castilla captain Victor Chust, will be loaned to Cadiz within LaLiga. Chust also had interest from Real Betis, but a move to Cadiz would be a more reasonable step that gives the quality young central defender more opportunities to start.

The move is good for Chust, but it isn’t quite as good for Real. Because based on what we have seen in LaLiga over the past year, Chust is probably already a better defender than Vallejo. Though determined to succeed with Real Madrid and once a very talented player at Eintracht Frankfurt on loan, Vallejo has performed so poorly recently that it is hard for Madridistas to trust him. And as we saw last season, that fourth center back will very likely need to play a few games.

Vallejo was on the transfer market, but nobody bit. And that’s why Real have been forced to keep ahold of Vallejo. It is a mistake to go into the next season with Vallejo as the fourth center back, but Los Blancos were left with no choice. Chust was more desirable of a loan target, whereas Vallejo had no interest. Vallejo certainly did himself no favors with a laughable error in the Olympic Final against Brazil.

Thus, Real are stuck with Vallejo for the 2021-2022 season. Perhaps he can revive his career in a sink-or-swim situation. But it is more likely that he looks out-of-his-depth amidst the demands of playing center back at Real Madrid. It’s not as if he was thoroughly convincing against the same kinds of opponents during his stint with Granada.