Real Madrid Options?
Real Madrid had a simple reaction after PSG announced that Kylian Mbappe was staying in Paris: “We don’t need him!” While it’s not a lie, it’s not that simple, either.
It’s true because Real Madrid just won La Liga and the UEFA Champions League with what many consider their weakest squad in recent years. It’s true because Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo are only 21 years old. It’s true because Karim Benzema just had an epic season.
The thing is, Benzema is 34 years old and Mbappe could have been his replacement. Last season, Federico Valverde ended up playing as a winger due to the lack of offensive weapons. Manager Carlo Ancelotti never trusted Gareth Bale, Luka Jovic or Eden Hazard.
Rumor has it that Hazard is training like crazy to finally live up to expectations, but there’s no guarantee. There’s also Mariano Diaz, who’s 28, but he has failed over and over to establish himself as Benzema’s replacement.
Real Madrid hasn’t signed any other striker. They could sign Corentin Tolisso from Bayern Munich. Ancelotti managed Bayern in the 2016-17 season, so he knows him very well. He’s not as good as Mbappe, but hey, he’s also French and very fast.
Who Have They Signed?
Not signing Mbappe allowed Real Madrid to pursue Aurelien Tchouameni. The midfielder was tempted by many other teams, including PSG, but ended up choosing Los Blancos. He signed a six-year contract. According to several reports, Real Madrid paid 80 million euros.
Tchouameni is a great player, but he’s not a striker. Neither is Antonio Rudiger, who also recently signed with Los Blancos. Rudiger is a central defender and he’s expected to start alongside Eder Militao. If that’s the case, David Alaba could play as a left back. Let’s not forget that Marcelo is gone.
Who Could Join Them?
Besides Tolisso, Real Madrid seems to be interested in Rafael Leao and Raheem Sterling. Leao just won the Italian Serie A with AC Milan. Leao led the team in scoring, alongside Olivier Giroud, with 11 goals. Leao plays with Cristiano Ronaldo on Portugal’s national team, so he has very good references about the team.
As for Sterling, Manchester City recently signed Erling Haaland. With the Norwegian, Phil Foden, Riyad Mahrez and Jack Grealish leading the way, Sterling’s minutes could decrease considerably.
Regarding the attack, those are the main options, but Los Blancos could still be in the hunt for a midfielder. To be more specific, Jude Bellingham. The 18-year-old, who plays for Borussia Dortmund, could join Los Blancos to eventually replace Luka Modric. Can you imagine Tchouameni, Bellingham and Eduardo Camavinga playing together?
Plus, that would allow Federico Valverde to keep playing as a winger. He did a good job, especially in the UCL Final, in which he assisted Vinicius for the winning goal.
No matter who they sign, there’s only one thing that all soccer betting enthusiasts want to see: Mbappe returning to the Santiago Bernabeu wearing PSG’s uniform. That would break several rating records.
For now, Real Madrid dominates the Las Vegas odds to win La Liga title thanks to a +110 price. Things don’t look that good when it comes to the UCL as they’re offering a +1200 price.
