The young revolution is very much underway at Real Madrid. Almost all of the older veteran players of the old guard have made their way out of the club for new endeavors as younger players arrive to fill their shoes and lead the team to success for many years to come.
Players like Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr, and Jude Bellingham are expected to be the cornerstone pieces of Real Madrid's future project under new head coach Xabi Alonso and are expected to guide the team to copious amounts of success in the years to come.
However, while the young players are the key pieces of the project, all great teams need to have at least two or three older veteran players with more experience that they can rely on in crucial times.
A perfect example of this type of player is Joselu from two seasons ago. The Spaniard has since departed the club and his presence has been hugely missed. However, the club seem to have their eyes on their next Joselu for the 25/26 season.
Real Madrid eye La Liga goal machine as their next Joselu type striker
As being reported by Sport, Real Madrid have Osasuna striker Ante Budimir on their radar as they look to add a veteran striker to their squad at the request of new head coach Xabi Alonso.
At first glance, Ante Budimir may not be the striker most Real Madrid fans want the club to sign. However, Budimir exactly fits the profile of a striker that Real Madrid have missed ever since Joselu's departure last summer, a veteran, reliable goalscorer who is dominant in the air and in the box, who can come off the bench and add something different to the team when needed.
The Croatian was the third highest goalscorer in La Liga in the 24/25 season, scoring 21 goals, only behind Robert Lewandowski and Kylian Mbappe. For a 33-year-old, that kind of output is hard to ignore, especially when he would cost an incredibly low amount.
Budimir's release clause in his contract is only €8 million, which is pocket change for a club like Real Madrid. With Xabi Alonso requesting the club sign a striker, they are assessing all options and names, but as with Joselu, recruiting a La Liga veteran could be the best option if the club hopes to bounce back after a disappointing season despite such high expectations.