A new season is approaching for Real Madrid, but changes are needed to challenge for La Liga…
The 2017-18 season is almost over and once again it’s Real Madrid in the Champions League final – the third time in three years that they’ve arrived at this stage. However, even a positive result in Kyiv might not be enough to brush off the air of discontent at the Bernabéu. The reason? Two league titles in ten years.
Real Madrid’s squad depth before the start of the season was hyped to no end. And yet, failing to find suitable replacements for the outgoing Morata, James Rodriguez, and Danilo arguably derailed Los Blancos’ season to the point of no return as early as October.
Karim Benzema’s torrid run was accompanied by Gareth Bale’s lack of confidence in-front of goal – leaving the illustrious BBC toothless. Keylor Navas and practically the entire backline have been riddled with inconsistency, laying the shoddy groundwork for Madrid’s unsatisfactory, and at times pathetic, league performances. Keeping these frailties in mind, Zidane and Perez must be contemplating where to splash the cash.
The reason being that expectations are always sky-high at Real Madrid. European dominance will not suffice, and the club must compete domestically as well. As a result, talk of who the next Galácticos will be is already rampant amongst fans. Here are some of the options that can take Real Madrid to uncharted heights in the forthcoming season:
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🏆Decent start to life in France, @neymarjr. pic.twitter.com/ENHTIfOhdo
— B/R Football (@brfootball) May 8, 2018
1. Neymar
The Brazilian caused ripples when he joined PSG in a shock move from Barcelona last year. This time, however, there has been consistent chatter of him being destined to light up the Bernabéu. Questions have arisen over how he would fit into the current set-up, as his favoured left flank is typically occupied by none other than Cristiano Ronaldo. And even if a tactical adjustment is made or Ronaldo decides to leave, the chances of Neymar leaving PSG on the back of a world-record move seems a bit far-fetched. Despite the unpredictability of the transfer market, I would rate this as improbable.
2. Robert Lewandowski
The prolific Pole has also been linked with the Spanish club previously, but Bayern Munich have always maintained that he is not for sale. Real Madrid, on the other hand, look to be in search of another striker because of Karim Benzema’s shortcomings. A move might materialize due to the charm of the club and Lewandowski y could be lured by the prospect of proving himself in a different league. Hence, a transfer is not entirely out of question.
3. Mohamed Salah
What a season the Egyptian winger has had – and now he’s gearing up to face Real Madrid in arguably the biggest game of his career. One of the stories that’s likely develop in the build-up to the final is whether Salah will be at Anfield next season. The media will highlight the appeal of following Philippe Coutinho and Suarez to Spain, with Real Madrid the preferred destination. A lot can happen between now and end of the season, but the hype around this transfer speculation hasn’t died down at all. A change of scenery for Mo Salah could be on the horizon.
4. Alisson
After Real Madrid’s frantic chase for David De Gea died down, the club must be looking for another highly-rated acquisition between the sticks . Keylor Navas hasn’t always convinced and Alisson’s heroic displays for Roma this season have made him a hot prospect in the transfer market. For now, Liverpool seem to be the front-runners in the chase for the Brazilian’s signature. Real Madrid are rumoured to be interested and will be looking to outbid Liverpool if a transfer battle ensues. If that does turn out to be the case, a transfer to Madrid might well be on the cards.
This transfer business is a funny thing, and there will inevitable be plenty of surprises this summer. Real Madrid fans are bound to be looking forward to an exciting transfer window next season and acquiring these targets will certainly make Real Madrid the most feared club in Spain and across Europe.