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Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure has left a gaping hole in the Real Madrid squad. So, how do you replace someone who has averaged approx 50 goals per season since the last nine years?
Fans are now expecting the Real Madrid president Florentino Perez to sign a high profile name capable of filling in Ronaldo-sized boots. With rumours ranging from Neymar to Eden Hazard, Real has the power to attract the best of names in the football world.
But after nine incredible seasons in the Spanish capital, it is hard to say that anybody can replace Ronaldo at least in terms of the dominance that he has had.
Cut back nine seasons ago, when Ronaldo left Manchester United for Real, United slumped to a second place finish after winning three titles in a row with Ronaldo in their side. United could not perfectly replace Ronaldo after his departure. Ronaldo was the most important part of the United attack, and at Real he has been the centrepiece of the team for almost a decade.
This summer he left Real Madrid as their all-time top scorer with 450 goals in 438 games, leading them to four Champions League and two La Liga titles.
Not only does Real’s new manager Julen Lopetegui have the unbelievable task of succeeding Zinedine Zidane into the Real Madrid dugout, he will have to do it without Ronaldo.
The new Real boss will surely be missing an icon after a nine-year dominance in La Liga. So, it is inevitable Florentino Perez will be inclined to act this summer. The association of Cristiano Ronaldo and Real Madrid will be considered as one of the best footballing match-ups in history. He went to the Santiago Bernabeu as a star and left as a legend.
The task of replacing him begins. So, Real's next steps are hugely important if they want to maintain their current stronghold in European football.
It is hardly a secret that Real Madrid’s prime targets are Neymar and Eden Hazard as a Ronaldo replacement, and those two players are more than capable of dominating Europe for the next five years.
But that is not an easy task. Eden Hazard does not seem to be easily attainable from a resolute Chelsea board, while Neymar looks set to stay at PSG after signing for them only a year back.
So, here are the five alternatives to Neymar and Eden Hazard that Real Madrid can target as a replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo:
#5 Mo Salah
Mo Salah looks like the perfect player to replace Ronaldo at Real Madrid, a proven prolific goal scorer. He has thrived in both the Serie A and the Premier League, so there is no reason why he wouldn’t excel in La Liga too.
One major factor that makes this unlikely is that Salah has recently signed a new five-year deal with Liverpool. But that probably won’t be stopping Real to find a perfect Ronaldo replacement.
Not even Mo Salah would have expected to have had a season he did for Liverpool, and his blistering 44 goals in all competition were there for all to see. It is hardly any wonder that he is being touted as the heir to the Ronaldo-Messi duopoly in the Ballon D’or awards.
He is the man who ended Harry Kane’s dominance of the Premier League Golden Boot last season by becoming the first player to score 32 goals in a 38-game season. The player he surpassed to break the record was Cristaino Ronaldo, after all.
#4 Paulo Dybala
The appeal of the fans and the age factor (24-year-old) makes Paulo Dybala a near perfect replacement for Ronaldo. Not only is he an outrageously talented and a versatile striker, but the Juventus attacker is also extremely charismatic.
His dribbling skills are mighty and so is his shooting ability. A creative player and Mess- like dribbler, Dybala knows where the goal is and has found it more than 50 times in Serie A for Juventus.
For now, he is Ronaldo’s new teammate at Juventus, but the Argentine striker could find himself squeezed out. After splashing out on Ronaldo, the Italian champions will have an eye on Financial Fair Play rules and be looking to balance the books.
A young, energetic and classy player can hugely appeal the Real Madrid board. But there are significant doubts though, whether Dybala can really be a true big-time player. He tends to disappear when it matters the most in the big matches, and is yet to prove himself for Argentina after failing to convince his worth to his manager at the World Cup.
#3 Kylian Mbappe
No team as big as Real Madrid would gamble on such a young talent to replace an icon as big as Cristiano Ronaldo. But at only 19 years in age, Kylian Mbappe already has had a big money move to his name, with PSG having paid Monaco £160 million for him.
He has also proven himself on the big stage by enjoying an impressive World Cup-winning debut with France this summer, along with two French league titles to his name. The French teenager is a Real Madrid fan with posters of Ronaldo on his wall. And the fact is that he has already hit super stardom -- a trait which will appeal to the Real Madrid board.
Equipped with frightening pace and skill, his smartness, along with the mental strength and confidence which were evident in Russia, can make him an instant success at any club in the world. He has everything to one day eclipse Ronaldo as a great of the game.
But PSG will be absolutely unwilling to let go of their prized asset, with Mbappe also declaring he will stay in Paris next season. While he has huge amount of time on his side to join his boyhood club, it would certainly be quite the statement from Los Blancos if they do manage to snap up Mbappe.
#4 Harry Kane
One thing Ronaldo’s departure will mean is a serious lack of goals. In his past eight seasons, Ronaldo has not scored less than 40 goals in a season -- a consistency most players can hardly match.
But one player, who has proved he can score consistently is Harry Kane. At 24 years in age, the current Spurs striker would be the perfect replacement for Ronaldo.
The fact that he has also proved himself on the biggest stage of them all at the World Cup (Golden Boot winner with 6 goals) will surely make him a direct replacement for Ronaldo as a proven goal scorer. Kane is the best target imaginable for real Madrid. He has struck 105 goals in 139 Premier League matches for Spurs since the start of 2014/15 season.
Harry Kane is an extremely confident player, who loves to shoot from distance and involves his teammates with good hold-up play too. This proves he is also a very good team player.
He is in his prime and a player any team can build around. Ronaldo's hard work and dedication to football can only be matched by Kane, and he can possibly be the heir to his Ballon D'or awards too. Now is the time for Real to snap up Kane and replace a departed goal machine with another.
#5 Robert Lewandowski
It is hardly any secret that Robert Lewandowski has talked about his dream move to the triple Champions League winners. He has been linked to Real Madrid several times since he became a Bundesliga sensation seven years back.
He has been one of the best centre-forwards in the world over the past six years. With 180 Bundesliga goals to his name and a further 45 in the Champions League, he is a proven goal- scorer, capable of filling the Ronaldo-sized boots.
A true penalty area predator who is strong and powerful, Lewandowski is also elegant and capable of scoring exquisite goals by himself. At 29 years in age, Lewandowski would be a solid signing for the Los Blancos and someone guaranteed to get goals.
But in his age, he is hardly a player anyone can build a future team around. His off-field marketing appeal will also be a problem for Real as he would be replacing a commercial giant as big as Ronaldo.
The only reason for Real to sign Lewandowski as a replacement for Ronaldo will be his guaranteed on-field performances. Real will know better than anyone – he netted four times against them in the 2013 Champions League semi-finals.
