Real Madrid Transfers: Marcelo’s potential plan after his contract ends
Real Madrid left back Marcelo is the epitome of what it means to be a club legend. Since joining Los Blancos in 2007, Marcelo has helped redefine the position and played an instrumental role in the club eventually returning to being the most dominant and feared team in all of world football. His connection with Cristiano Ronaldo down the left flank was the stuff of dreams, as Marcelo’s vision and technical quality made him a creator everyone admired.
In recent seasons, Marcelo has been a backup for Real, as the years have taken a toll on Marcelo, who plays one of the most physically demanding positions in the sport. Though Marcelo can still cross and have moments of brilliance, he can no longer be a starter for the club due to his steep decline in speed and defensive quality.
Marcelo is in the final year of his contract and is fully expected to get a fond farewell at the end of the 2021-2022 season. The current Real Madrid captain had been linked to transfers in previous windows, such as a move to Juventus back when his good friend Ronaldo was still in Turin, but he has remained in Madrid.
According to a report from Yahoo! Sports, via Brazil outlet LANCE!, a friend of Marcelo stated that the left back is considering a return to Fluminese at the end of the season when his contract runs out.
Marcelo could return to the club where it all began
A reunion at Fluminese would not be surprising, as many players decide to reunite with their first clubs to end their careers. It can be a sweet moment for them. Former Real Madrid icon Ronaldo is back at Manchester United, while Karim Benzema has been linked with a move back to Lyon once he feels he can no longer be among the best in the world (but before he is no longer an effective player at all).
Marcelo no longer has the ability to be a key player for Real Madrid, but he could still be a star for Fluminese, especially if he transitions into a more attacking role. As we saw earlier this year against Getafe, Marcelo can still provide something extra to an attack with his passing quality, as he stood out in that match in an attacking midfield position.
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It’s unclear how much stock we should put into this rumor of a return to Fluminese, where Marcelo started his career before moving to Madrid, but it is a sensible possibility for the Brazilian star once he is officially a free agent.