Real Madrid currently have a number of players who can fulfill a No. 10 role, in addition to playing in other positions in the XI. Eden Hazard, Isco, and Marco Asensio are all attacking midfielders. Los Blancos also have two very promising No. 10’s on loan in Takefusa Kubo and Reinier Jesus. Brahim Diaz, who is thriving at Milan, could also be a fit, though he projects as a player who can compete for starts on the right wing.
The modern game has phased out the traditional No. 10, which is why players like Isco and James Rodriguez find it harder to fit in. But the game still values 10’s who have positional versatility and tactical flexibility. Look no further than Kevin de Bruyne.
Let’s take a look at five players who can be world-class attacking midfielders in the future. All of these footballers should be on the Real Madrid transfer radar.
Bayern Munich AM Jamal Musiala
Bayern Munich have one of the most talented young players in Europe in Jamal Musiala. The England international is becoming Thomas Muller’s heir as the “raumdeuter” in Bavaria, interpreting space and finding little areas in which to execute tidy finishes. Musiala has a nonstop motor off the ball on the attacking end and on the defensive end, too.
An accomplished, elegant, and technical attacking midfielder, Musiala offers the sort of positional versatility that top clubs are increasingly craving. If you are going to spend well over 50 million euros on a player, you might as well sign someone who can give you production at multiple positions and in multiple alignments, given teams are getting more flexible with the formations they run.
Musiala is only 18 years old, and anyone who watches the Bundesliga will tell you that he plays like someone with much more experience. He already has two goals and two assists this season despite starting just once, with his five other appearances coming off the bench.
Would Bayern sell Musiala in the next few years? I highly, highly doubt it. But because I don’t think there is a better player for a No. 10-type role at Real Madrid, he absolutely has to be on this list. Bayern have a few dream targets of Madridistas, including Joshua Kimmich in midfield, but I’m not sure there is anyone more exciting to watch over the long-term than Musiala.
Bayer Leverkusen AM Florian Wirtz
Florian Wirtz is having an absolutely tremendous season for Bayer Leverkusen. Every big club in Europe is tracking him, and while Bayern Munich and Barcelona seem like the early favorites, Los Blancos should be interested. They already missed out on Kai Havertz, whom Zinedine Zidane wanted, and Wirtz is an even more productive young prospect out of Leverkusen.
So far this season, the 18-year-old has four goals and six assists in the Bundesliga with an additional three goals and one assist in the Europa League – one goal contribution for every appearance. On top of that, Wirtz is averaging 2.3 key passes per game in the German top flight with an even three key passes per contest in European competition.
Every time I watch Leverkusen play, Wirtz is a cut above the rest. He has some talented teammates, yet there is no doubt that he is the star of the show, even at his age. On the ball, he is exquisite, and there are few playmakers better than him. Wirtz can pull the strings, and he seems to always make the right decision on the counter.
It’s tough to see how Wirtz would fit Real Madrid better than Barcelona stylistically, so there is a chance he ends up becoming a great rival to Los Blancos. That is, of course, if La Blaugrana can afford the most prized German prospect after Karim Adeyemi.
Lyon FW Rayan Cherki
Rayan Cherki is the most realistic of the five options here, because he dreams of a move to Real Madrid. Furthermore, because he is a true prospect who has not yet received his chance to be a star player at Lyon, he would be more affordable than some of the other players. Certainly, he would come cheaper to Los Blancos than either Jamal Musiala or Florian Wirtz. Both would be out of Real’s price range, with Musiala very likely being 100 percent off-limits.
Lyon are known for developing and selling top talent, and they have a few players who should be on Real’s radar. We have seen Los Blancos make successful signings from the former giants of French football in the past. Club legend Karim Benzema is the biggest of them, but Ferland Mendy has also become quite the addition since joining in 2019.
Cherki has not quite played 200 minutes in Ligue 1 this season, as he’s mostly been coming off the bench. Lyon are well aware that he is the next big thing, so they aren’t going to rush things. With the other talent they have and with Cherki still at 18, they have no reason to.
There have been rumblings that Real Madrid could sign him and then loan him back to Lyon, where he could remain and develop before going to the Bernabeu. That could be one way of securing the talented youngster, who can play at multiple positions. The key is versatility, and Cherki is a serious attacking talent who can provide that.
But will Real Madrid have a need for someone like Cherki at another attacking position if they sign Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland? That is another question to ponder.
RB Leipzig MF Christopher Nkunku
If Florian Wirtz is having the best season of any player on this list, then Christopher Nkunku is the man in second. Nkunku has been one of the most consistent players in the Bundesliga over the past couple of seasons, and this season, he has taken the spotlight after being severely underrated by football fans outside of Germany.
RB Leipzig’s best player since 2019-2020, Nkunku is a big reason why Timo Werner scored so many goals that year and earned a big move to Chelsea. Now, Nkunku’s reputation is growing, while Werner’s has fallen. It has never been a stretch to rate the Frenchman above the struggling German forward.
Nkunku can play just about anywhere, and that’s what makes him so interesting. Real Madrid have been linked to the 24-year-old, who is quite clearly entering his prime.
This season, Nkunku has a jaw-dropping five goals in the Champions League to match his five goals and three assists in the Bundesliga. He has always been excellent at creating chances and working pockets of space with his footwork, and his decision-making is elite. But this season, Nkunku has reached new heights in front of goal, finishing lethally. His chips are particularly devastating for goalkeepers to contend with.
After being a key part of the Leipzig squad, Nkunku is now showing the kind of star quality that could make him reach the Real Madrid level. And again, his versatility means he could be the kind of new market opportunity Los Merengues will want to pursue.
Dortmund AM Gio Reyna
The Gio Reyna links to Real Madrid have gone cold, and the 2021-2022 season has been a difficult one for the youngster. Reyna has featured in only a handful of matches this season due to injury. The injuries may concern Los Blancos, given the number of players they have who deal with recurring issues. However, Reyna is 19, and these absences point more to misfortune than a trend. At least, that’s what seems to be the case right now.
On the bright side, Reyna has been efficient, scoring twice in three Bundesliga starts. Last season, he totaled nine goal contributions in nearly 2,000 minutes, receiving his first significant action for Borussia Dortmund. The club clearly believes in him, having given Reyna the prestigious No. 7 that Jadon Sancho wore all the way to superstardom.
Reyna is the best prospect the United States has produced. Whereas Christian Pulisic was a quality role player who received the full force of the hype machine when it did not benefit him, Reyna is deserving of the hype but is being treated more carefully by fans.
He has scored some delicious goals and made some world-class assists for Erling Haaland, who appreciates the American’s knowledge of where to place a pass in a tight space. He is a striker’s best friend and also has positional versatility. If he can get stronger and build consistency, the 19-year-old could very well become a splash addition from Dortmund to Real Madrid one day.