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Following the departure of former coach Zinedine Zidane in 2021, Real Madrid have endured mixed fortunes in the new campaign. Considering the sky-high expectations surrounding one of the greatest clubs, Los Blancos have been far from perfect.
Under Carlo Ancelotti's guidance, Los Blancos are second in La Liga with 27 points after 12 league matches. They sit at the top of their group in the UEFA Champions League with nine points from four games.
Although Real Madrid have been entertaining on the pitch so far this campaign, they have also succumbed to some shock defeats. One of the biggest ones was the 2-1 loss to Sheriff Tiraspol at home in the Champions League. There have been some players who have underperformed and others who are clearly not in Ancelotti's plans.
It goes without saying that there is a lot of deadwood in the Madrid squad. With Florentino Perez desperately focusing on reinforcements and Galactico signings, Madrid will need to sell some of their stars in the upcoming transfer window.
On that note, let's take a look at
Five players that Real Madrid should sell in the January transfer window
#5 Dani Ceballos
Dani Ceballos was one of the Spanish youngsters who was hailed as the next big thing. Unfortunately, he is far from living up to his billing and has cut a forlorn figure at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Ceballos caught the eye of scouts after his breakthrough season with Real Betis. But the 25-year-old never settled into Real Madrid's side, failing to impress former boss Zinedine Zidane. He was loaned out to Arsenal in 2019 as a result but even that did not help the player.
Ceballos' disappointing loan spell saw him score just two goals while providing five assists in 77 appearances for the Gunners. Since his return from loan, the midfielder has failed to impress Ancelotti and is clearly not in the coach's plans.
#4 Jesus Vallejo
Jesus Vallejo is simply not the starter material for Real Madrid. The 24-year-old has failed to impress or cement his place in any of his loan spells and the story is no different to the Spanish giants. There are strong indications that he has no future at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Following his subdued loan spell at Granada, Vallejo returned to Real Madrid in the summer. The centre-back has made just one appearance since then, with Ancelotti making it clear that Vallejo won't get many minutes under him. Ancelotti prefers David Alaba, Nacho or even Ferland Mendy in the centre-back position rather than him.
Staying with the La Liga giants is clearly not an option for Vallejo and it would be best for Los Blancos to part ways with the player.
#3 Luka Jovic
Following Luka Jovic's breakthrough season at Eintracht Frankfurt, Real Madrid shelled out big money (€60 million) to sign the striker in 2019. Unfortunately, Jovic has failed to find his feet and grasp the limited opportunities that have come his way in the Spanish capital since then.
For his stature and worth, Jovic has failed to find his rhythm upfront. The 23-year-old has scored just twice for Madrid since his arrival in 2019. Due to his poor performances, he has failed to cement his place in the squad. The fact that Karim Benzema has been in the form of his life has also made life difficult for Jovic.
Considering Jovic is one of the most expensive signings in Real Madrid's history, his transfer has been a complete disaster. His market value has taken a hit and he is one of the highest wage earners at the club. The Los Blancos faithful will be willing to offload the Serbian sharpshooter as soon as possible.
#2 Gareth Bale
Gareth Bale has helped the Spanish giants win a number of trophies during his tenure at the club. These include the Copa del Rey 2013 and the Champions League title in 2018. Yet the Welshman's last few years at the club have left a bitter taste in the mouth.
Following Cristiano Ronaldo's departure, Bale was touted to take up the mantle in front of goal but that has not been the case since then.
Bale has hardly had any impact on the team since 2018 and barely featured as a starter. Due to his poor form and consistent injuries, the Welsh winger was loaned out to his former club Tottenham Hotspur last season. Since his return from loan, Bale has featured in just three league matches before suffering another injury.
Bale's contract will end in the summer of 2022 and there has been no talk of renewal. It would still be better for Los Blancos to offload him in January to get a minimal fee for the player.
#1 Eden Hazard
Things have only gone downhill for Eden Hazard since he joined Real Madrid in 2019. Arriving as a 'Galactico' signing, the Belgian's tenure has been riddled with injuries and now finds himself below the pecking order in the Spanish capital.
During his initial days at Madrid, Hazard was criticized for being 'overweight' by the Spanish press. The winger's poor performance added to his misery before he suffered a horrible injury. The injury is a recurring one and the 30-year-old has not been the same ever since.
Hazard has managed just five goals so far in his tenure at Real Madrid. It would be wise of Real Madrid to offload the Belgian and save a significant wage bill.
