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Zinedine Zidane stepped down as manager after winning 3 successive Champions League trophies, and since then Real have struggled to find a suitable replacement. They appointed Julen Lopetegui with disastrous results, and had to sack him after a few months.
Santiago Solari, a former Madrid player, was appointed their new manager in October, and has also struggled to cope with the pressure of being in charge at Real.
Real have also struggled to cope with the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo, and lack a proper goal-scoring option upfront. Players like Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale have been mediocre, and Real have suffered as a result.
They are in 4th position on the league table after 15 matches, and have hardly performed any better in the Champions League so far.
Real lost 0-3 to CSKA Moscow yesterday in a Champions League match, and it was the 3rd time they had lost by a margin of 3 or more goals this season. Solari would be given some time, but will have to get his act together to improve things at Real.
Here we discuss 3 signings who would be ideal for Real at this stage.
#1 Dejan Lovren
The mercurial Croatian has had a tiff with Sergio Ramos in the recent past, but could actually be a perfect foil for him at the centre of the Real defence. Ramos is 33 now, and clearly showing signs of age.
He is finding it difficult to cope with the pace of the young forwards. Youngster Nacho is still not very comfortable as a centre-back, and therefore Lovren could be the player who has the ability to boost the Real Madrid defence.
The 29 year old Lovren has sometimes struggled to find a starting place in the Liverpool line-up in the current season, with Van Dijk, Gomez, and Matip preferred. Still, he has played in 159 matches for Liverpool till date, and scored 6 goals.
His strong tackling and man-marking abilities make him an ideal choice as the centre-back. He also has big-match temperament, and is one of the reasons behind Croatia and Liverpool’s strong performances in the recent past. Lovren could be a very valuable addition to the struggling Real Madrid defence.
All stats via transfermarkt
#2 Christian Eriksen
The playmaker from Denmark has already been linked to Real Madrid, and could very well go on to become one of their players. Eriksen has been a talismanic player for Tottenham Hotspur, and has scored 58 goals in 245 matches for them.
He has very good passing abilities and vision, & can find the forwards easily with his through passes and slick touches. He is very easy on the ball, and also has the ability to score with a powerful shot from the edge of the opposition penalty box.
Eriksen could boost the Real Madrid attack which has suffered after the departure of Ronaldo. Ballon d’Or winner, Luka Modric, usually plays in a deeper role for Madrid than for his national side, therefore Eriksen's inclusion could provide them with the much-needed creative influence.
He should also be able to combine well with the Real forwards - Isco, Benzema, and Bale. We might see Real Madrid trying desperately to sign Eriksen in the January transfer window.
#3 Eden Hazard
Hazard has been the most important player for Chelsea in the past few seasons, and continues to perform exceptionally for them.
He has played 318 matches for Chelsea and scored 97 goals. He has also won 2 EPL titles, 1 FA Cup, and 1 Europa League with them. Hazard can play as a winger or a false 9, and almost always troubles the opposition defenders with his fast dribbling and passing.
It is about time Real starts looking for replacements for the likes of Benzema and Bale, and Hazard could be an ideal long-term replacement. He has expressed his desire to play for Real in the past, and has all the necessary qualities to become a Madrid player.
He is still only 27 years old, and should have at least 5-6 seasons left in him at the top level. He could form the fulcrum of the Real Madrid attack in the near future, along with the likes of Isco and Marco Asensio.
