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Real Madrid have not had the best of starts to the 2017/18 campaign and are already 8 points behind the league-leaders - Barcelona, in the La Liga title race, with just 14 games played.
They are also second in their UEFA Champions League group, having suffered their worst group stage loss in nine years to Tottenham at Wembley. Though it is still early in the season, signs are starting to emerge that they need big reinforcements.
Real Madrid let go some important players in Alvaro Morata, James Rodriguez, Pepe, and Danilo over the summer, which has left the squad vulnerable this season and injuries to players like Gareth Bale, Dani Carvajal and Raphael Varane have only added to their woes.
With so many matches each season and Club World Club participation only adding minutes to the already hectic schedule, proper squad rotation would be necessary, and with summer signings not impressing Zidane too much, they must strengthen their squad in January if they are to continue fighting for every trophy.
Here we take a look at 5 players who Real Madrid should probably target in January, to win an unprecedented third successive UEFA Champions League title, and to try and retain their La Liga title, as unlikely as it may seem.
#5 Alvaro Odriozola (Real Sociedad)
Real Sociedad's bright start to the season hasn't gone unnoticed, and one player who has certainly caught the eye of several big clubs around Europe, is fullback Alvaro Odriozola. He made his debut for Sociedad in January this year and has since made 31 appearances for them.
Dani Carvajal's health problems have left Real Madrid vulnerable at right-back and the 21-year-old can be a great deputy and an able replacement if need be.
He has already made his debut for Spain's national side and his buyout clause is reportedly €40 million, which is reasonable, considering the enormously inflated transfer market, and with Real Madrid investing in youth this summer, this deal makes a lot of sense for all the parties.
He has also been linked with Real Madrid in the past, in 2016, but instead, Zidane chose to promote, and show faith in homegrown Achraf Hakimi. But, if Madrid sign him, he can be a great understudy for Dani Carvajal, and certainly an upgrade on Achraf Hakimi.
#4 Kepa Arrizabalaga (Athletic Bilbao)
Another highly-rated Spanish youngster, who has performed exceedingly well over the past year, is Athletic Bilbao's goalkeeper, Kepa Arrizabalaga. He is now a regular between the posts for the Basque club, making 33 appearances in the last 12 months.
He has been significantly admired for his performances, with many likening him to another Real Madrid target, David de Gea.
The goalkeeper made his full Spanish international debut in a 5-0 win against Costa Rica over the weekend, and aged just 23, has the potential to be one of the best in the world. Arrizabalaga's contract is up next summer and can be available for less than his €20 million release clause.
Real Madrid have consistently been linked with his signature over the past few months, with Arsenal also interested to replace Petr Cech. The young Spaniard is a great talent and if Real Madrid can manage to sign him, he will be a worthy replacement for Keylor Navas.
#3 Andrea Belotti (Torino)
Real Madrid have had a strange problem this season. They have some of the best forwards in their ranks, but have still struggled for goals upfront. With Gareth Bale repeatedly being on the sidelines for prolonged periods, and with both, Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo not being in the best of forms, Real Madrid will seriously look to sign a forward in January.
One name which has interested the club's hierarchy, is Torino's Andrea Belotti, who has also been linked with Chelsea in the past. The 23-year-old has scored 32 goals in 44 outings last term, and has already found the back of the net 6 times in 14 appearances this season.
He is a hot property across Europe, and is just the kind of player Madrid would want after selling Alvaro Morata in summer.
Karim Benzema has been admired by both Cristiano Ronaldo and Zinedine Zidane for his selflessness and work rate, but if the performances don't significantly improve, he will only be testing their patience, and signing Belotti, who reportedly has a release clause of €100 million, will be a statement of intent from Florentino Perez to rejuvenate this side.
#2 David Luiz (Chelsea)
One of the main reasons for Real Madrid's poor start to the season is their defence which has not looked convincing at all. Sergio Ramos hasn't been at his best and when Raphael Varane hasn't been available, his chemistry with Nacho has been simply ridiculous.
After letting Pepe leave during the summer, Madrid didn't buy a worthy replacement and their recent struggles indicate that they certainly miss the Portuguese centre-back.
One player who Madrid should look to replace him with, is Chelsea's David Luiz. The 30-year-old was outstanding last season and was one of the mainstays of their title-winning squad.
But, he was left out of the Chelsea squad against Manchester United altogether, and was an unused sub against West Brom and Liverpool, with Antonio Conte preferring Andreas Christensen over him.
Luiz was missing from the squad, yet again, for clashes against Newcastle and Swansea, and the situation is unlikely to change in the near future, with David Luiz seemingly beginning to fall out with Antonio Conte.
The Brazilian has a strained relationship with Conte, and could be looking for a move elsewhere if the situation persists. He is one of the best centre-backs in the world, and his experience would hugely benefit Real Madrid, if they can land him in January.
#1 Nabil Fekir (Lyon)
One player who has certainly caught the eye of Europe's top clubs this season, is Lyon's Nabil Fekir. The 24-year-old is the third-highest goalscorer in Ligue 1 this season, behind Edinson Cavani and Radamel Falcao, with 11 goals in 12 outings, and also has 4 assists to his name.
The French forward was also in the news recently after his goal celebration against local rivals St Etienne sparked widespread agitation in the stadium.
Fekir is an exceptional talent, with his playing style resembling that of another Madrid player, Karim Benzema, and with the latter soon turning 30, Fekir might just be the right kind of player to replace him at the Bernabau.
He likes to play short passes and could link up with Madrid's midfield, while he is also an excellent dribbler and has successfully completed over 50 dribbles already this season at an average of 4.1 per game. He also can cross the ball well and is a superb finisher. What more could Madrid ask for?
Nabil Fekir has all the characteristics of being a world-class player, and also has age on his side. There are several clubs interested in his services, but if Madrid were to sign him this winter, they could become unstoppable.
