Real Madrid's expiring contracts: Keep or release?

Real Madrid recently tied manager Carlo Ancelotti down to a new contract recently, helping the club paint a clearer picture of what their immediate future will look like.

Ancelotti knocked back the advances of Brazil to remain at the Santiago Bernabeu, where he is fostering a group of fine young stars.

But what to do with Madrid's experienced and veteran members? Should they keep their loanees beyond the season too?

Luka Modric

If it were simply down to Madrid, then yes, they should absolutely keep Luka Modric.

The problem lies with the midfielder himself having previously expressed his frustrations over his reduced role this season. As a result, Modric has been continually linked with a move to MLS and Lionel Messi's Inter Miami.

At 38, Modric obviously isn't the player he once was, but he's still capable of playing at the highest level and coming up with moments of real magic on the ball. Football purists will want him to stay as much as Madrid do.

Verdict: KEEP

Toni Kroos

Like Modric, Toni Kroos is also being used less frequently as a starter but has still come up with important moments in Madrid's season.

There has been criticism in Spain of Ancelotti for playing Kroos and Modric together considering their lack of physicality and energy nowadays, but with so many young and energetic midfielders in the squad, it shouldn't really be an issue to stagger their usage moving forward.

Again, the question ultimately should come down to Kroos - does he want to stay and play a bit-part role for a club where he's a legend or try out one last challenge?

Verdict: KEEP

Nacho Fernandez

At this stage of his career, Nacho Fernandez probably isn't good enough to be a starter for Madrid, but that doesn't mean he's worthless to them either.

As club captain and a versatile defender, there'll still be times even next season where he'll be needed to play some sort of role. He's not redundant despite his decline, while he nicely fills a homegrown spot in the Champions League.

Verdict: KEEP

Lucas Vazquez

Full-back is definitely an area in which Madrid need to focus on improving in transfer windows to come - Bayern Munich's Alphonso Davies and Bayer Leverkusen's Jeremie Frimpong have both understandably been linked with moves to the Santiago Bernabeu.

It might be worth Madrid hanging onto Vazquez for just one more season while any new right-back beds in, at which point he should be allowed to sail off into the sunset and leave as one of the club's most important utility players of all time.

Verdict: KEEP

Kepa Arrizabalaga

Let's talk loanees.

It's slightly embarrassing for Kepa Arrizabalaga that he was meant to be Madrid's saviour between the sticks this season after Thibaut Courtois tore his ACL, but has largely been outperformed by the Belgian's previous understudy in Andriy Lunin.

Reports have already suggested Madrid are unlikely to make Kepa's move from Chelsea permanent and it's hard to blame them for coming to such a conclusion.

Verdict: RELEASE

Joselu

It is completely surreal that this is a sentence to type in 2024, but Real Madrid should absolutelt exercise the €1.5m purchase clause in Joselu's loan deal from Espanyol.

Granted, he's not starter material, but he's a useful target man who has proven not to be completely hopeless this season. With Kylian Mbappe likely to come in, he wouldn't start nearly as many games next term. It's a no-brainer for that price.

Verdict: KEEP

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