Every year we expect Real Madrid to be very active during the transfer window, and even more so if the club had a bad season.
There are three months to go before the summer transfer window opens officially, and the team has to still play a lot of football before the season ends. So we can’t really predict what will be the club’s approach this summer at the moment.
But one thing is for sure, there will be some departures this season. With three players running out of contract and a handful of players struggling to live up to the Real Madrid standard, I feel that there will be sales and signings this summer, in spite of MARCA reporting that there won’t be any revolution at the club this summer.
Since there might be a lot of departures this summer, let us have a look at the perfect replacement for each player who’s expected to leave.
Marcelo – Miguel Gutierrez
Real Madrid’s captain Marcelo’s contract is coming to an end this summer, and he will leave the club after a highly successful career at Los Blancos. He hasn’t been the club’s main left-back and has mostly been a backup to Ferland Mendy in the last three seasons. So the club needs to replace him with a player who’s ready to be a second-choice player.
The club doesn’t need to look anywhere else for that player, as they already have one in Castilla’s Miguel Gutierrez. The 20-year-old is exactly the kind of full-back Real Madrid need, being an attack-minded player who can make a difference with his superb crossing and passing skills. He has already proved himself in the limited opportunities he got with the first team.
Carlo Ancelotti hasn’t really trusted the La Fabrica product this season, giving him just 321 minutes, and even Miguel has struggled with his own physical issues, but the Italian manager should count on him next season. If not him, then the club should try Rayo Vallecano’s Fran Garcia, who can come for as low as €5 million.
Gareth Bale – Kylian Mbappe
Gareth Bale is going to leave the club this summer for sure, as his contract is finally expiring this year and both he and the club don’t have any interest in renewing.
If we see Gareth Bale as a left-footed goalscoring right-winger who can be decisive in the big games, then the best like-for-like replacement for the Welshman is Mohammed Salah of Liverpool. The Egyptian’s contract is expiring next year, and many top clubs might be keeping tabs on his situation. But it is difficult to imagine Liverpool letting go of Salah, despite playing hardball in the contract renewal talks.
If we instead see Gareth Bale as a goalscoring winger who can be a huge threat from both the wings and can be among the best players on the planet on his day, then the perfect replacement is Kylian Mbappe. He’s expected to sign for Real Madrid as a free agent this summer, despite PSG’s numerous attempts to renew the Frenchman. And after seeing our club’s pursuit of Mbappe all these years, I don’t think we need to discuss why Mbappe is the best option out there.