Real Madrid Transfer News: 13 players face uncertain future this summer

What's the story?

Real Madrid could potentially be one of the most active clubs in this summer's transfer window if reports are to be believed. Florentino Perez has been openly unhappy about the current state of the squad for a while now, and so the upcoming window could be a chance for Los Blancos to clear out the deadwood and start fresh.

In case you didn't know...

Real Madrid are currently third place in La Liga on 57 points, lagging behind Atletico Madrid (second) and Barcelona (first). For a club with the size and stature of Real Madrid, they should not be struggling as much as they have been in La Liga. To add insult to injury, it looks like their arch-rivals Barcelona are set to win the title yet again.

The heart of the matter

The 13 players that could leave Real Madrid in the summer are as follows:

Gareth Bale: The Welsh international has struggled as much as the others in his team, but for a player of his ability, the fans are expecting much more than he's given them. His popularity has diminished significantly and he could be nearing the end of his time at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Raphael Varane: Varane has been linked with a plethora of top European clubs this summer, with Manchester United the most likely destination.

Keylor Navas: Navas has hardly played this season after being shoved aside by the arrival of Thibaut Courtois last summer. It's natural for him to want to play more often, and a player of his ability could certainly still do a number as a first-team option for a top side.

Luca Zidane: The son of Zinedine Zidane could stay on for another year given his father's reinstatement as manager, but there are still question marks around his quality and whether he's up to the standard that Madrid require.

Jesus Vallejo: Vallejo is a fourth-choice centre-back who hardly plays. He will most likely be shipped out on loan.

Marcos Llorente: Despite relatively good performances, Zidane wasn't convinced by him last year, so whether he stays will depend on the manager's evaluation of him over the remaining weeks.

Dani Ceballos: Another player who hardly played for Zidane, Ceballos needs to step up in the remaining weeks of the season to prove he has what it takes to break into the first team again.

Isco: Isco struggled a lot under Santiago Solari and was at one point being left out of the squad entirely. If Real Madrid bring in a top talent from abroad this summer, Isco's game time will be reduced even more.

Mariano: Mariano has been poor since he was re-signed from Lyon and certainly isn't the sort of striker Zidane can do much with, so his future is hanging in the balance.

Marcelo: There was rampant speculation in January about Marcelo possibly following his former teammate Cristiano Ronaldo to Juventus, but all of that has died down now. His interest in Madrid will have to be evaluated, though.

Karim Benzema: Benzema has played very well for Los Blancos this season, but with Madrid looking to buy a world-class striker in the summer, he might be in for a difficult ride trying to compete with another top player for his role.

Brahim Diaz: Diaz is expected to be shipped out on loan for next season.

Fede Valverde: Zidane is reportedly a fan of the 20-year-old but Valverde wants to be promised more first-team football next season. If that isn't possible, he may very well head to the exit door.

So, there you have it. 13 players who could possibly head out the door in the upcoming transfer window. Zidane has a lot of work to do to ensure that his best players stick around.

What's next?

Real Madrid are openly in the market for a number of new players to plug the gaps in their squad, so some of these departures may not be the end of the world; in fact, they could be of assistance, as the money Madrid receive for them can be pumped back into the transfer budget.