3 signings Real Madrid need to make this summer
- Real Madrid were Spanish and European champinos last season
- Centre-back is the most obvious position to strengthen
- Right-back and midfield are not urgent but need looking at
The time to rebuild is when you’re on top, and no club is any more on top right than Real Madrid following last season’s La Liga and Champions League double.
But how do you improve on a team that has just added Kylian Mbappe to a squad with Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham already?
There are ways, but it’s mostly through building cover and looking to the future.
Aymeric Laporte
Madrid expected to sign Leny Yoro this summer until Manchester United gazumped them with a massive offer to Lille. There was already a shortage of centre-backs at that point, then came news that David Alaba may be sidelined for several months into the new season.
It would be utter madness not to dip into the market for central defender, rather than risk complete catastrophe by starting the season with just Antonio Rudiger and Eder Militao…and Jesus Vallejo as the sole specialised cover. Aurelien Tchouameni is an emergency stand-in.
Having left Manchester City for Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia last summer, Aymeric Laporte has returned to prominence thanks to his role for Spain at Euro 2024. It wouldn’t be a long-term solution given that he’s already 30, but rumour has it Laporte is willing to take a massive pay cut for the opportunity. The only issue is negotiating with Al Nassr, who aren’t prepared to release a player under contract for no transfer fee just because Madrid would like them to.
Denzel Dumfries
Dani Carvajal will turn 33 this coming season and is into the final year of his contract. It’s far from implausible that, having won it all multiple times over, he could move on for a new challenge – or a massive Saudi Arabian pay day – when his deal expires next summer.
Even with 33-year-old ex-winger Lucas Vazquez signing an extension, getting someone in now to take the right-back baton long-term isn’t a bad idea. Jeremie Frimpong and Denzel Dumfries would each make sense, but the latter is substantially more affordable due to his Inter contract expiring in 2025.
Theoretically, Vazquez could still be moved on should another actual right-back come in.
Franco Mastantuono
New shirt numbers this season suggest that Madrid intend to make Eduardo Camavinga and Federico Valverde the future of their midfield now that Toni Kroos has retired and Luka Modric is just over 13 months away from his 40th birthday.
Arda Guler is effectively a new signing too given his injury problems last season and Jude Bellingham could have a new deeper role now that Mbappe and Endrick have boosted numbers at the very top of the pitch. But it would never hurt to consider the long-term picture. Enter, Franco Mastantuono.
Madrid have had home-run swings with Vini and Rodrygo when it comes pre-arranging deals for South American talent before they turn 18 and can legally move internationally. There are similar hopes for Endrick, while 16-year-old Mastantuono is being billed as Argentina’s next big thing.
Madrid have already been heavily linked with the River Plate youngster, who plays as a ‘number 10’. He would be able to move to Spain in August 2025 upon turning 18.
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