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A hat-trick of Champions League titles would normally mean that a club is doing extremely well but Real Madrid is no ordinary club. Last season they finished third in La Liga - a disappointing 17 points adrift of champions Barcelona. In another blow, manager and former Galactico Zinedine Zidane surprisingly quit the club a few days after they had beaten Liverpool in the Champions League final.
While winning in Europe is one thing, Real Madrid fans absolutely hate losing to Barcelona and that too by such a huge margin. Add to that the fact that local rivals Athletico Madrid also finished above them in the league. The mood at the Santiago Bernabeu is low and President Florentino Perez may be forced to make one or two 'Galactico' signings to lift the spirits.
With the World Cup less than a week away - the transfer market is experiencing a lull. Here are 5 'Galactico' signings that Real could make after the World Cup in order to regain the La Liga title.
#5 Thibaut Courtois
Real Madrid haven't really replaced Iker Casillas - their goalkeeper during both the Galacticos eras. While current goalie Keylor Navas is good between the sticks, he is not really world class. It is one area of the pitch where they could do with a major signing.
At just under 2 meters, Thibaut Courtois is a real presence in the box and is a good shot stopper as well. Real's interest in him is well known since his Athletico Madrid loan days. With age on his side, the Belgian could claim the No 1 jersey for the better part of a decade.
Courtois himself has been dilly dabbling about singing a contract extension with Chelsea. With only a year left on his contract and the possibility of him leaving on a free transfer next summer, the Blues' could be forced to sell him. If the stopper's media comments are anything to go by - a lot would depend on what Eden Hazard does. Both players have repeatedly stressed the need for Chelsea to sign more top-notch talent.
Can Real make a double swoop at Stamford Bridge and pry away the Blues' two most prized assets?
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#4 Eden Hazard
Chelsea has had a roller coaster four years since the 2014 World Cup. They won the Premier League in 2014-15, finished a dismal tenth in 2015-16, won again in 2016-17 and finished fifth and outside the Champions League spots in 2017-18. Frequent change of managers hasn't always bode well for the club or their talisman Eden Hazard.
The Belgian has the potential to win the Ballon d'Or won day buts it's very unlikely he will do so at Stamford Bridge. He needs to play in a team where is given the freedom to attack at will without being burdened by defensive duties. Playing alongside Ronaldo and the likes might just unlock his true genius.
At 33 it would also suit Ronaldo to move to a striker position leaving the wing free for Hazard to step in. Together the duo would be more than a match for Messi and Suarez.
Abramovich's run-in with UK visa issues and lack of clarity about Antonio Conte's future might just trigger Hazard to force this move through. But expect Chelsea to demand somewhere close to 200 million euros for their talisman.
#3 Robert Lewandowski
Recent media reports have claimed that Robert Lewandowski wants to leave current club Bayern Munich for a new challenge. And Real Madrid might just be the destination for arguably the best striker in the world currently. Having won four Bundesliga titles in a row but failing to win the Champions League - it is understandable why the Pole might want to move to the Bernabeu.
Like Harry Kane, Lewandowski has also been prolific in the last four years having scored 151 goals in 195 games for the German champions. The current Poland captain has also averaged more than a goal a game for his national side in the last four years. He is a complete centre-forward with the ability to score with head or either foot. Age wise he might not be an upgrade on Benzema but as a striker, he is definitely better.
Attackers with big names and proven records are what Galacticos is all about and the Pole would fit the bill perfectly. Hiring Pini Zahavi as his agent in February also means that a move to a different league is likely.
#2 Mo Salah
32 goals in 36 games in his debut season for The Reds. Liverpool reaching the Champions League Final with Mo Salah vs Liverpool in the Final without Mo Salah. Need I say more?
The 2017-18 season has seen Salah emerge as the hottest property. A Chelsea reject once, he has thrown himself in contention for the Balon d'Or. An injury in the first half notwithstanding - who knows he could have won the title for The Reds and made himself a firm favorite for Footballer of the Year. Scoring for fun, day in day out, in the most physical league - he has proven all doubters wrong.
Will he get another shot at the Champions League or even the Premier League with this Liverpool team? Probably not.
Will he fit into the Real Madrid team? Definitely yes. Him on the wings, and Ronaldo will move to his preferred striker position.
Deal on the cards? Probably not. But a good showing in the World Cup for a weak Egpyt team might make it more likely. Real will have to break the transfer record for sure though.
#1 Neymar
Rumour mills love conspiracy theories so here is one of such scenarios: Neymar wanted to move to Real Madrid because he wasn't getting his due recognition in MSN but he didn't want to be branded a traitor. So he decided to take a holiday in the fashion capital of Paris. On his way to the PSG project, he accidentally shattered the world transfer record.
Now the same PSG club with their Qatari-backed endless pockets would let him move to his dream club for a profit of a few million dollars and Barcelona fans would forgive him because one year is such a long time in football that you tend to forget who your stars were.
But anything is possible in football right? And Neymar at 26 years of age might just be the player that Real Madrid wants to build their future around in the post-Ronaldo era.
He broke the record with a 222 million euro transfer last year. But PSG would want returns on their investment so it does not require a genius to understand that the Ligue 1 side will want to make a sizable profit if it were to sell the Brazilian superstar.
