Real Madrid may actually have a lot of work to do when the market opens up in the New Year
One month ago, alarm bells were ringing in full in Madrid; Real weren't dominating every single competition like they were supposed to; the Kylian Mbappe experiment was failing; Carlo out; sell Vini; Jude can't score. Barcelona – younger, more exciting and devoid of cash – had already won the league.
Well, as it turns out, football is a fickle beast; a bad Blaugrana run, a few Madrid wins, and an Intercontinental Cup later, and things suddenly look quite good for Carlo Ancelotti's side. They may not be top of La Liga – that honour currently goes to Atletico Madrid – but they are just one point back. And they absolutely cannot be counted out in the Champions League after snatching a signature away win at Atalanta.
Still, it's a strange January to confront. Madrid have rescued their season, but they don't have the same ceiling as before. Serious knee injuries sustained by Dani Carvajal and Eder Militao have derailed their defence. For once, Madrid might actually have to do a few things in January.
But that doesn't mean they have to spend big, either. Rather, this is a question of tweaking. A couple of loan signings, perhaps, a swing for a big name, and a key free agent decision could be just fine to thrust them back into Europe's elite, both immediately and for the future. GOAL looks at the six moves Los Blancos need to make in what should be an interesting transfer market.
Getty Images SportTie Trent down (if they haven't already)
Look away, Liverpool fans. All signs point towards Trent Alexander-Arnold wearing Madrid white next season. Unlikely fellow Reds with contracts due to expire, Alexander-Arnold is in his prime years, and has a minimum of five seasons left at the top level. He pretty much has his choice of club for the rest of his career. Jude Bellingham, a good friend of his, plays for Real. Sometimes, the maths is frighteningly easy.
The right-back has been linked with Madrid for some time now, and it is no secret that Los Blancos want him. He'd be a good fit, too – his fluid passing and eye for a long ball potentially working wonders with the pace of Mbappe and Vinicius Jr up front. The only worry for Ancelotti and co. could be a similar sort of turnaround that kept Steven Gerrard at Anfield 20 years ago.
Back then, Gerrard had his head turned by Chelsea. Everything seemed to point towards a move. But then came a U-turn and Champions League winner's medal – enough to keep him on Merseyside.
The point is, Madrid might be wise to make sure this move happens by striking a pre-contract agreement, before Alexander-Arnold has any second thoughts after claiming a Premier League title.
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Madrid couldn't do anything to prepare for the kind of injury crisis that has rattled their backline this season. Freak knee injuries to first Carvajal, then Militao, couldn't have been prevented. Still, there were some rumblings last summer that Los Blancos could have done with an extra veteran defender, especially after club captain Nacho departed.
And after he wasn't replaced, Madrid have been left scrambling for answers. Antonio Rudiger has been as solid as advertised, but next to him has been something of a rotating cast of options. Raul Asencio has impressed in moments, but Ancelotti seems reluctant to let the academy graduate off the reins in big games. Aurelien Tchouameni (more on him later) has also failed to convince at the back (he simply isn't a natural defender). And with David Alaba still yet to recover from a serious knee injury of his own, there aren't any immediate options for internal replacement.
The only choice, then, is to survey what else is out there. There have been some links with Bayer Leverkusen's Jonathan Tah, but a short-term deal for him might be difficult. Bournemouth's Dean Huijsen has also come up, although he might not have the requisite experience. Either way, Los Blancos need to make something happen.
Getty Images SportLoan Endrick out
Endrick's high-profile arrival hasn't failed, but it hasn't really worked, either. It always seemed an odd decision to spend so much on a teenager when it was clear that Mbappe would be brought in to play the same position. Growing pains were inevitable, but the kid needed at least some minutes to actually endure them.
Instead, Endrick has been limited to sparse minutes, showing his outstanding potential in glimmers. There is absolutely a footballer here, but Madrid, right now, is not the place for him to thrive.
So, how to react? The rational course of action here is a sensible loan move, someplace where the teenager can play football reasonably free of pressure. This reeks of a mid-table loan, to a team that could really use a striker, and an injection of youthful energy. Sevilla, currently in 14th in La Liga and without Jesus Navas, could be a solid option. Looking abroad, a club such as Brighton, or even Champions League surprise package Brest might work.
Either way, as long as the Brazilian avoids a relegation battle, and is guaranteed minutes, he should get out of Madrid for the next six months. It's probably the only option for all parties.
Getty ImagesGive Luka one more year
Luka Modric insists on still being good at football. The Croatian really should be past it at this point, but even if his legs are no longer as fluid as they used to be, Modric remains an impact player for Los Blancos. Starts might be less frequent, but his 30-minute cameos are things of beauty, some vital and cool-headedness added to the kind of chaos Madrid's matches often descend into.
His future has been the subject of speculation for some time now. It was assumed that he would leave at the same time as Toni Kroos, who retired at the end of the 2023-24 season. Since then, a Saudi Pro League move has been floated, while the occasional MLS chatter crops up. But neither is quite right – at least, not yet.
Madrid have improved since the start of the campaign, but still sorely lack the veteran leadership needed to get over the line. That won't magically change in the next 18 months. As long as Modric has something in his legs, Los Blancos need to make things work. Get the one-year extension out of the way now.