We’ve entered the last phase of the season, with just over a month to go for the summer break. It is going to be a long summer break for both the players and the fans, with the FIFA World Cup scheduled for winter. But it is going to be an interesting summer, with Real Madrid plotting big moves for this summer transfer window.
Some players are set to leave the club this summer, while some more players’ performance hasn’t reached the expectations. There is a need to strengthen Real Madrid’s depth in those positions and let’s have a look at every position that needs reinforcement.
Centre back
Real Madrid’s two main centre-backs, Eder Militao and David Alaba have been excellent throughout the season, complementing each other very well. They have formed a great duo, and one wouldn’t want to disrupt the Alaba-Militao combination. But they have their weaknesses, especially in defending crosses and with their habit of leaving the backline to go and press the attacker, something that has been exploited by the opponents at times.
Another issue with Real Madrid’s centre-back contingent is the lack of depth. Nacho’s versatility has proven to be a boon for the club for a long time, but as a centre-back, he has been a liability to the team in a lot of games this season. There is an argument that the La Fabrica graduate shouldn’t be a third-choice centre-back anymore.
Not to forget that Jesus Vallejo, the team’s fourth-choice centre-back, has spent the majority of the season on the bench and the sidelines, similar to his 2017-19 stint at Real Madrid, playing just 14 minutes all soon. There have always been doubts about his quality following his disastrous loan spell at Granada, and the club should look to offload him this summer, though he has a contract till 2025.
Even the club seems to have realised the issues at the back and has been linked to Antonio Rudiger a lot in the past few days, with the German’s arrival looking inevitable. The Chelsea defender’s quality and reported wages suggest that he will straightaway walk into the starting XI. It is going to be interesting to see how Carlo Ancelotti will set up his team with the German, but one thing’s for sure, Antonio Rudiger will be a quality addition.
If Vallejo can be sold (if he doesn’t do a Mariano 2.0 to be precise), it will create another empty spot, that can be occupied by a talented Castilla defender like Rafa Marin. The 19-year-old has been a sensation this season, and his performances have drawn interest from clubs like RB Leipzig. He is ready for first-team football, and he deserves a promotion.
Left back
Real Madrid’s current left-backs are Ferland Mendy, Marcelo, and Castilla’s Miguel Gutierrez, with Nacho covering for them from time to time. The legendary Brazilian and the current club captain Marcelo is leaving the club this summer, which will empty a spot. The spot of a second-choice left-back should be automatically taken by the talented Miguel Gutierrez in an ideal world, but his injury-prone nature has made the club doubt if he’s ready for the first team and wants to see him on loan at another club.
Due to the apparent lack of faith in Miguel, the club has been eyeing Fran Garcia for a while and wants to buy him back from Rayo to fill in the spot of second choice left-back. The fact that the talented La Fabrica graduate would be available for just 5 million euros makes him a favourite option. He would be fine as a backup, and he would be a good signing in my opinion, but there is one worry.
The worrying thing is Ferland Mendy’s form and fitness, combined with the Antonio Rudiger links, which make things kinda complicated.
The 26-year-old Frenchman has been a great signing for Real Madrid, and he has been a rock-solid presence on the left flank. But he has been a liability in attacks, and his mediocrity in attack is hurting Real Madrid in an era where two-way full-backs prove to be match-winners for the top European clubs. And his fitness is another worrying factor, with the Frenchman having missed 14 games this season due to six injuries.
Antonio Rudiger’s arrival further complicates things, as his entry into the starting XI means that David Alaba might have to be shifted to the position of a left-back, or there might also be a change in the formation. This makes things tougher for Ferland Mendy, and he might be relegated to the bench in such a situation. Mendy is entering his prime, and he wouldn’t want to be a second-choice player at this age. And if Mendy himself becomes the backup player, what would be Fran Garcia’s role then? This might also open the door for a potential Ferland Mendy departure.
Things are complicated at the moment, and the solution must be perfect. Two things we know for sure at the moment are that Marcelo’s departure will create a vacant spot that will be up for grabs, and the left-back position needs to be strengthened and made much more competitive.
Right back
The right-back position has been the biggest issue so far this season. Dani Carvajal, the team’s first-choice right-back can be one of the best in the world on his day, but the team has suffered a lot this season due to the Spaniard’s regular injuries and his form issues. He has been a liability to the team at times, especially against opponents with pacy wingers on their left.
His backup Lucas Vazquez is a decent option, but he isn’t good enough to start for the club week in and week out, and Carvajal’s regular injuries have meant that Lucas has been the club’s starter for long spells at times, which have exposed his weaknesses a lot.
The right-back position needs a breath of fresh air, and Carvajal needs competition. The club have Alvaro Odriozola on loan at Florentina, but he isn’t the solution by any means. Even Vinicius Tobias isn’t the solution, and he needs a lot of time to develop. Signing a right-back is a must, and it will be a blunder if the club don’t strengthen this position.
Pedro Porro of Sporting CP was linked to the club during the season, but there are many more quality right-back options in the market, as my colleague Hridyam points out.
Defensive midfield
Carlos Henrique Casemiro has been a definite starter for Real Madrid in the last seven seasons, and he has practically been a player who would be willing to start every game in the season. All these seasons filled with relentless football have taken a toll on him, something that is visible from his inconsistency issues this season.
He is in his prime, but he has entered his thirties, and there is a need for the manager to use him cleverly from the next season. Fede Valverde, Toni Kroos, and Eduardo Camavinga can cover for him in a game or two, but they can’t be a pure defensive midfielder, and cover for Casemiro during his injuries, like Marcos Llorente did in 2018/19. The club needs to sign a quality defensive midfielder.
And the club are exactly doing the same and has been following AS Monaco’s Aurelien Tchouameni for a while. He might cost around 60-70 million euros, but the investment in the Frenchman will be worth it, and he can be an able back-up for Casemiro. There is every reason to believe in Tchouameni, who can be the best player in his position in the coming years.
To be honest, I was a huge believer in Antonio Blanco last season, and I believe that it wouldn’t have come to this situation if Blanco was involved in the scheme of things this season. But things haven’t gone his way this season, and even his form has dipped. It would be better if he leaves on loan next season, and tries his luck in the future.
Right Wing
Ever since Gareth Bale’s decline, the right-wing position has been a huge concern for Real Madrid. Marco Asensio flopped badly in the 2018/19 season and he never looked like the same player he once was, after his ACL injury.
Gareth Bale is finally leaving Real Madrid this summer, and even Marco Asensio might be sold this summer, with AC Milan showing interest in the Spaniard whose contract ends in 2023. This leaves us with Rodrygo and possibly Lucas Vazquez as the only contenders for the RW position.
Kylian Mbappe might join us this summer, but there is no guarantee that he will play as a right-winger. His best comes from the left, and at the moment there is no guarantee that Ancelotti might stick to his 4-3-3 formation. Even if the system is changed to accommodate Karim Benzema, Kylian Mbappe, and Vini Jr together, there is a need to have some quality options on the wing.
Brahim Diaz and Takefusa Kubo aren’t ready for Real Madrid yet, while Reinier Jesus isn’t even at the level where he should be considered as an option. This leaves us with only one option – signing a new winger.
I prefer a goalscoring winger, someone who’s okay with being a second-choice player. Players like Serge Gnabry and Riyad Mahrez suit that profile, and their contract ends in 2023. But I’m not sure if they will be okay with the role they might get here. This makes the complete wing situation complicated, with Mbappe’s future remaining unclear creating much more confusion.
There’s one thing I would like to love to see though, which is Sergio Arribas’ promotion from Castilla to the Real Madrid first team. The 20-year-old Spaniard has been on fire this season with 13 goals and 5 assists to his name while playing with Castilla, and I think he has done enough to earn a promotion.
Backup striker
Luka Jovic and Mariano Diaz have been Karim Benzema’s backups for the past three seasons, but none of them has proved that they deserve to stay at Real Madrid and be the Frenchman’s backups. They have a combined total of 1 goal and 3 assists in all competitions this season, and both of them have spent a lot of time on the sidelines this season.
I used to be one of those Luka Jovic believers, but the way things have gone this season is quite disappointing, and everything points towards a possible departure this summer. Even Mariano’s contract is ending next summer, and I hope his stubborn behaviour finally comes to an end this summer, and he leaves Real Madrid.
The club needs a quality and consistent goalscorer as Karim Benzema’s backup. Mbappe might cover for Benzema at times like Cristiano Ronaldo did under Zidane. But still, there’s a need to have a proper backup, to avoid risk.
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Borja Mayoral’s resurgence at Getafe has been encouraging, and his return can be a possibility. But I prefer someone like Raul De Tomas, a more proven goalscorer in LaLiga, someone who can be a very player in the frontline. Another option would be to promote Juanmi Latasa from Castilla, but I think that Latasa needs some more time.
Some of you might be wondering why I didn’t take Erling Haaland’s name so far in this section. The answer to that question is simple, I never believed that Haaland can be a possibility this summer, especially when Karim Benzema is in the form of his life.