It's a hectic time for Real Madrid, with the club still looking to be very active in the transfer market. With four signings already made, it wouldn't be an unreasonable expectation for Los Blancos to stand pat the rest of the window. But we all know that is not how Florentino Perez operates.
We know that players will be leaving for new opportunities, and right now, none seem more likely than the Brazilian winger Rodrygo. He started just one game at the Club World Cup, and there are rising reports out of England that Arsenal and other Premier League clubs are very interested in his services.
While his departure would bring a sizable profit, it would also create a glaring hole on the right side of the Spanish giants' attack. One option is to, of course, target a player in the market. But what is more likely, in my opinion, is an in-house promotion for one of Real Madrid's burgeoning young stars.
So with that in mind, here are three Real Madrid players who I think could replace Rodrygo in the starting XI if he decides to move on.
1. Arda Guler
Real Madrid fans have been clamouring for Arda Guler ever since he arrived from Fenerbahce as a highly touted 18-year-old in the summer of 2023. Ancelotti was very reluctant to give him chances, but whenever he did, he made the most out of it (not to mention him leading Turkey to the Euro QFs).
But at the Club World Cup, he was an absolute superstar for Real Madrid. Xabi Alonso sees his potential, and seeing what the Spaniard did with Florian Wirtz, there's no telling what he could do with the young Turk. Many have described him as "Turkish Messi," but in my opinion he's almost a mix of Kevin de Bruyne and Mohamed Salah.
He has an innate ability to pick out passing lanes and isn't afraid to get into duels, while also possessing an excellent touch inside the box, which allows him to get past defenders.
He's got quite the finishing ability, as well. Rodrygo doesn't possess the same skillset and does not have the same potential as the Turk, and there's an argument to be made that Guler may be an upgrade over Rodrygo.
Now there's room for improvement, especially physically. He can bulk up a little, and we still don't know how he'll cope with the daily rigors of top-level football.
It won't be all sunshine and rainbows with Guler if he is the man in the future; he'll have growing pains like all young players do, but his talent and potential are undeniable, and he's seemingly already won over Xabi Alonso.
2. Endrick
Endrick arrived at the Santiago Bernabeu last year, and the results were not great, to be completely fair. He struggled for gametime, and even when he played, he often struggled to make an impact. The polar opposite of Guler, he seemed to really struggle with the transition from Brazil to top level European football.
But on the plus side, he's still only 18 and has gobs of potential. He's an incredible athlete; he's strong, fast, and has barely scratched the surface of his physical potential.
He also has exceptional ball control (a la Neymar). If Rodrygo leaves and Endrick is given the chance to start and the freedom to make mistakes, I believe he could be excellent on the right wing.
I know Endrick's natural position is up front, but with Mbappe leading the line for the foreseeable future, it doesn't seem likely that there will be much game time at the striker position.
So why not give him a chance to shine? It's clear Endrick struggles off the bench, and if they're not going to loan him out, why not give him a chance to unlock his potential? Especially in system as attacking as Alonso's.
It ultimately comes down to who Xabi Alonso believes in more, considering how Ancelotti's lack of belief hurt Endrick's confidence, the opposite might do wonders for him.
It wasn't until Vinicius Jr. finally had a coach who believed in him (Ancelotti) and allowed him to make mistakes that he became the player he is today. So who's to say the same couldn't happen to Endrick
3. Federico Valverde
Lastly, we have Real Madrid's Swiss army knife. He is not your typical right-winger, but he excels in nearly everything; it wouldn't surprise me if he could play goalkeeper. He has often played as a hybrid box-to-box winger, but it's never been consistent.
Well, Xabi Alonso did experiment with that against Pachuca, and it worked like a treat. As usual, the Uruguayan ran the midfield, and although the competition was vastly inferior, it still gave us a taste of what he can do in that position
If Xabi Alonso doesn't want to trust a young player on the right wing just yet, or feels like Guler or even Franco Mastantuono in midfield gives the club the best chance at winning trophies next year, he could simply slide Valverde into the right wing.
He might not provide the same goal-scoring threat that Rodrygo does, but his passing and work rate are far superior. It might be the safe option on the wing, but even so, it's still an improvement on the Rodrygo we saw last season.
The only question I have is whether we are getting the best version of Valverde on the right wing. He is incredible in midfield and is the engine that allows players like Bellingham and Trent to get forward.
It's a fair question to ask, but Valverde has rarely, if ever, come up short for Real Madrid. It may take an adjustment period, but I have no doubt Valverde will be up to the task.
We'll see how the Rodrygo saga evolves in the next few weeks, but in any case, there are plenty of options within the squad who could carry the team forward towards their lofty goals in 2025/2026.