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To say Real Madrid have endured a nightmare season would be an understatement; they currently sit 6 points behind league leaders Barcelona.
They also suffered their longest ever goal drought in the club's history, a dismal run of 481 minutes without a goal.
It's also been five years since Los Blancos signed a player who can be tagged as a Galáctico, the last being James Rodríguez in 2014.
With Cristiano Ronaldo having left last summer and no replacement brought in, Madrid will likely be looking to add some star power to their ranks this time around. A big summer lies ahead for Los Blancos, with a small fortune likely to be spent.
Despite winning three back to back Uefa Champions League titles, including last seasons, Real Madrid seems to have fallen off a cliff.
As well as losing Ronaldo and not signing a replacement, there are several reasons for this. The first reason is that a number of key players such as Luka Modrić, Sergio Ramos, Marcelo and Benzema are now the wrong side of 30 and are starting to slow down, or at least can't play 50 games a season.
Another reason is a lack of depth. It's no coincidence that Madrid's most successful season in recent history, the 16/17 season, saw them able to play nearly two different teams. That year in smaller league games and Spanish cup ties, they often played a second string side.
However, that side still included the likes of Álvaro Morata, James Rodríguez and Asensio. Fast forward to this season. Morata and Rodríguez are gone and Asensio is often in the first string team as no replacement for Ronaldo was signed.
Without these key squad players, Madrid have struggled to compete on all fronts, practically losing the title in November.
Madrid have struggled at both ends this season, scoring less and conceding more than their fierce rivals Barcelona.
Madrid have conceded 27 in La Liga, to Barca's 23, but they have scored a mere 40, to Barcelona's 60. This has left them with a shocking goal difference of just +13 after 23 games, while Barca have a much more respectable goal difference of +37, from the same number of games. This clearly highlights how much Madrid are in need of signings, at both ends of the pitch.
Taking all these factors into account, here are 5 players they could well target this summer...
#5 Luka Jović
Karim Benzema has often been at the centre of Madrid fans' scorn, due to a lack of consistent goal scoring form, famously receiving high profile criticism on Twitter from ex-Barcelona forward and current Match of the Day host, Gary Lineker.
It's not hard to see where this criticism comes from either Last season, Benzema only managed a dismal return of 5 league goals. For context ,that was the exact same number as Madrid's deep-lying playmaker, Toni Kroos.
Step forward, Luka Jović. The Serbian is certainly not struggling for goals and has exploded onto the scene this season. Jović already has 14 league goals and 3 assists, scoring at a staggering rate of a goal every 87 minutes. This impressive feat puts him at the top of the Bundesliga scoring charts, with his goals to minutes ratio, vastly superior to established world class striker Robert Lewandowski.
Jović also has an equally impressive record in Europe, currently sitting as the Europa League's 2nd top scorer, with 5 goals. This becomes even more impressive when you realise these 5 goals have come in just 266 minutes, a ratio of a goal every 53 minutes.
Jović averages 2.2 shots inside the penalty area a game and complements that with a 54% conversation rate. In a Madrid side capable of creating a lot of chances, this ability to clinically finish chances could be the difference between them being a good side and a great one.
If Real are looking for an out and out striker, they should look no further than the Serbian, who is currently outscoring every Madrid forward.
#4- Matthijs de Ligt
Barcelona have already announced the signing of half of Ajax's dynamic Dutch duo, confirming this January that Frenkie de Jong will join them this summer. Reports indicate they are already looking to reunite the pair and bring de Ligt to the Camp Nou this summer.
If Real hijack this deal, they'd be denying their fiercest rivals, his service, as well as adding an extremely talented young centre back to their ranks. Sergio Ramos is now 32 and can't go on forever. De Ligt would offer cover for now, before eventually replacing Ramos as Varane's long term partner.
De Ligt profiles quite similarly to Ramos, being very well composed on the ball, as well as being a towering presence in the air. De Ligt is very capable of bringing the ball out of defence and progressing the ball upfield, something which is now essential in the modern game for a centre back playing for a top team.
De Ligt boasts impressive stats this season, averaging a pass success of 91.4% and 3.1 aerial duels won per game. These skills could help transform Madrid into a dominant possession side, while also helping them mop up dangerous crosses into the penalty area. De Ligt is no slouch at the back either, frustrating Robert Lewandowski, in a notable performance in Ajax's 1-1 draw at the Allianz Arena.
#3- Eden Hazard
At this point, it seems almost a certainty that Hazard will join Madrid. It seems not a week goes by without Hazard making flirtatious comments about Madrid. This summer may be when it finally happens. While Hazard's desire to join has never been in doubt, Madrid may finally feel the same way . Cristiano Ronaldo is now gone, leaving a large hole on the left wing, as well as a serious lack of goals and creativity. Hazard also fits the Galáctico criteria, that the Madrid faithful are no doubt desperate to see filled. It now seems a marriage of convenience, with Hazard seemingly desperate to move up to the next level of club football and Madrid in need of a quick fix upfront and some star power.
With Hazard likely to play on the left of Madrid's attack, the likely casualty of the move is one of Gareth Bale or Asensio/Vinícius Júnior. However, the Welshman's clear inability to stay fit and Asensio's failure to kick on and develop, makes this far less of a big deal than in years gone by.
Hazard is putting up exceptional numbers in the Premier League this season, 12 goals and 10 assists. He also has an incredible ability to carry the ball forward, completing 3.3 dribbles per game in the Premier League and winning 3 fouls a match. This would allow him to be the driving force in Madrid's attack, carrying the ball from midfield to attack. This dribbling specialist out wide is something Madrid sorely lack, with Asensio only completing 1.2 dribbles per league game and Gareth Bale a mere 0.8.
Hazard's contract situation presents Madrid with an interesting opportunity. With the Belgian's contract running down, Chelsea may be forced to sell and for a far more reasonable price than they would like.
#2- Neymar
The most obvious and direct replacement to Cristiano Ronaldo's Madrid throne. The Brazilian superstar operates off the same left-hand side and remains one of the few players capable of even somewhat matching Ronaldo's staggering goal output. Just as importantly for Madrid, he's also the most suitable candidate to replace Ronaldo's commercial output. He's probably the only player that could reasonably compete with Ronaldo in terms of marketability and brand exposure. Neymar is the very definition of a Galáctico and would bring all the swagger and glamour Madrid have come to expect from their star signings.
Neymar is putting up simply terrifying stats in Ligue 1, with 13 goals and 6 assists in just 13 appearances. He is completing a staggering 4.8 dribbles per game, while winning 3.2 fouls a game. He also boasts 2.8 key passes a game and completes 1.2 through balls a game. These stats indicate how complete Neymar is as a player, being a master dribbler, great chance creator and a huge goal threat. As the complete package, Neymar could be the jewel in Madrid's crown, allowing them to simply dominate and blow away all opposition.
Neymar's ability can't really be questioned as he's already scored 289 career club goals and 60 for his country, not to mention he also won a historic treble at Barcelona, which saw him finish 3rd in the Ballon d'Or. There is one obvious downside however and that's the finances involved in making the deal happen. A world record transfer fee would no doubt be required to make any such deal happen and that's assuming PSG are open to a deal at all. Then of course, the player would command considerable wages.
#1- Kylian Mbappé
Nearly all that was said about Neymar could be said about Kylian Mbappé. He's a superstar in the making, with the world seemingly at his feet. Already a world cup winner at 20 and with a serious eye for goal and terrifying pace, Mbappé would go a long way to fixing Madrid's goalscoring problems and would certainly satisfy the fans' desire for a genuine superstar.
Mbappé is simply blowing away Ligue 1 defences this season, with a monstrous 18 goals and 6 assists in just 16 games. Given he's averaging 4.1 shots a game, 2.9 of which are coming from inside the penalty area, this rich vein of goalscoring form is no fluke.
Mbappé would add the end product that this Madrid side is crying out for, taking his chances and creating his own with that blistering pace. Madrid would be acquiring a dynamic outlet up front, capable of stretching even the most stubborn of defences.
The one clear advantage to signing Mbappé over Neymar is age. Both would command eye-watering fees but at least with Mbappé, they would get 13+ years of service or the potential of high res value in the future. This clearly makes Mbappé the more valuable asset and makes the deal more logical from a financial point of view.
Mbappé is the perfect heir to Ronaldo and could well follow in the footsteps of the man he grew up idolising.
Note: All stats courtesy WhoScored
