It's been obvious for the last couple of years now that Real Madrid's midfield is the weakest link in the team. The club has failed to properly replace Toni Kroos and Luka Modric, and it has cost the team dearly over the last two seasons.
The team has missed out on a number of trophies because they haven't reinforced the midfield properly, and at the moment that looks like it's going to be the same this season.
One player in particular who has been a major weak point, not just this season but in the seasons since the departures of Kroos and Modric, is Fede Valverde. The Uruguayan has been given a bigger role in the midfield this season, being tasked with filling the box-to-box role he found so much success in during the 23/24 season.
However, his play has been far off the pace so far this season, and he has looked like he would rather be anywhere else than on the pitch, and that has been a major detriment to the team as a whole.
With his level of play drastically falling off in recent years, it could be in Real Madrid's best interest to start looking to move on from the 28-year-old, and thankfully for them, there's no shortage of good replacements. Let's take a look at three midfielders Real Madrid could sign to upgrade on Fede Valverde.
3 players Real Madrid can sign to upgrade on Fede Valverde
1. Dominik Szoboszlai
Szoboszlai is a player Real Madrid have been linked with on a number of occasions in the past, and when you watch him play, it makes sense why. He's been one of the few consistent performers for Liverpool over the last couple of seasons and is a similar profile to Valverde; however, the Hungarian is much more technically gifted.
At times it seems like Valverde is more comfortable playing down the right-wing, whereas Szoboszlai loves to naturally play in the middle as a box-to-box midfielder, contributing strongly on both sides of the ball. He also brings a strong history of scoring goals from free-kicks, something Real Madrid has struggled with for many years.
2. Nicolo Barella
Inter Milan's Nicolo Barella would also be a strong option to consider should Real Madrid look to bring in more of a proper box-to-box midfielder. A player Mourinho would know well from his time in charge at Roma, Barella is much more of an old-school box-to-box player compared to some other players in his position, with a very similar profile to Luka Modric.
He's good with the ball at his feet as well as without it, and can contribute both going forward, but, is also a midfielder who isn't afraid to put in a tackle, and can bring a physicality to the midfield that Valverde used to bring, but hasn't done so consistently in the last couple of years.
3. Warren Zaire-Emery
Somehow still only 20-years-old, Warren Zaire-Emery would be an excellent candidate for Real Madrid to bring in if they look to move on from Fede Valverde. The Frenchman brings a number of strong attributes to the table, with a strong midfield IQ, an exceptional pass-completion percentage (around 91%), is good under pressure, and can press like a machine, something this Real Madrid team is desperately lacking.
Zaire-Emery is much younger than the other two options, meaning he could be a player Real Madrid could bring in and have in their midfield for the long haul, as we saw with Toni Kroos and Luka Modric.
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