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Real Madrid are reportedly willing to show the door to four first-team players - Gareth Bale, Mariano Diaz, James Rodriguez and Luka Jovic - this transfer window.
If reports from Marca are to be believed, Real Madrid are preparing to turn sellers this transfer window after having purchased players worth €300 million ahead of the closing football season.
Not just due to the financial fair play rules but also to boost funds for themselves, Real Madrid are expected to remain quieter than usual this summer. In fact, the above source states that even a club of their stature will not be able to land marquee players due to the economic depletion in the transfer market.
Real Madrid set to clear out the deadwood this window
Each of these players are part of the fringes of Zinedine Zidane's La Liga champions, and Real Madrid are understandably desperate to relieve them of their duties as the hierarchy aims to bring more quality and challenge for Europe once again.
It was also reported earlier that they could free upto €200 million ahead of next summer only through player sales.
After two massive windows that saw them sign the likes of Eden Hazard, Ferland Mendy, Rodrygo, and Thibaut Courtois among others, they are ready to trim the squad and base their focus on who they really need to sign next summer.
While Mariano has only featured five times for Los Blancos this term, two goals in 26 appearances from Luka Jovic makes for grim reading.
It is quite surprising to see the latter in this list, but Real Madrid are supposedly willing to let him go should the right offer arrive. They want a better long-term replacement for Karim Benzema.
As for James Rodriguez and Gareth Bale, it is clearer than ever that a departure would be for the benefit of both parties. Rodriguez's case is simply tactical, but that of Bale has a lot to do with Zidane and his ideologies.
Despite the same, Bale's agent Jonathan Barnett recently confirmed that the winger will remain at Real Madrid, while also adding that no club can match his wages. He said:
"Gareth is fine. He has two years left on his contract. He likes living in Madrid and he is going nowhere. He is still as good as anyone else in the team. It’s up to Zinedine Zidane. Of course there’s been interest but there’s hardly a club in the world which can afford him."
It'll undoubtedly be a hard ask for Real Madrid to orchestrate a deal for Bale, given his reluctance to leave the club. The other potential outgoing transfers, however, should not be as complex.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid will aim to turn their 2-1 aggregate around when they face-off against Manchester City on August 7, in the Champions League round-of-16.
Also read: 5 Big-name signings that failed at Real Madrid
