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Zinedine Zidane is not the manager of Real Madrid anymore and there is no replacement made yet. Madrid needs time to overcome the shocking news of their manager's resignation and evaluate their options, but it should not be forgotten that the reigning European Champions need to look at their ageing team as well.
'Cristiano Ronaldo wants to leave Real Madrid' rumors are back like they always do at the end of every season, but what makes it more worrying for the fans is that this time the 5-time Ballon D'Or winner himself hinted towards an exit in a post-game interview. While he was subtle in his approach, Gerath Bale, in a press conference after the Champions League final victory in Kiev, made it clear that he needs more playing time or he will have to sit down with his agent and evaluate his options.Supposing that both the talismans will stay put at the Bernabeu, there is still another issue left to be resolved.
Ronaldo is 33, Ramos and Modric are 32 and if 30 is also a bad-footballing age, then both Marcelo and Benzema are old. Whatever may the new manager's tactics be, he will look at the squad and want some new faces to bolster the squad.
Goalkeeper
This is nothing new. Madrid have been linked with a goalkeeper since Casillas left and Keylor joined the Whites. Keylor Navas is a great goalkeeper and all the trophies are a proof that he stood up to the task that was handed to him. But Madrid need the best. Given how fragile the defense has been in recent times, it will be fair to say that a top-goalkeeper would do wonders to the confidence of the defense and the team.
How many times have you heard the name David De Gea? Just a mention of his name makes you think this might have something to do with amazing superman saves or a transfer to Real Madrid. He will be linked to Real Madrid this summer as well and considering his heroics for Manchester United he should be on the top of the buying list for Los Blancos. But this time there's someone challenging his position as the No.1 target.
Thibaut Courtois. The Chelsea stopper has not signed a new contract and reports suggest that the Blues have stopped trying any further. He kept 15 clean sheets this season for the blues in the Premier League and was instrumental in their FA Cup final win over Manchester United. Under the current circumstances of his contract stand-off with the board, Madrid might get their man for a very low price.
Another man on their shortlist would be Allison Becker. The Roma keeper kept Leo Messi at bay in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final triumph over the Spanish Champions and has been touted to start the World Cup ahead of Manchester City's Ederson, per ABS. His price might be a little higher than one expects, given he is also a target for Champions League runners up Liverpool, but a goalkeeper of such quality will be welcomed in Madrid with open arms, regardless of the price.
All the options that Madrid have at their disposal are of top tier and will go straight in the starting XI but Les Merengues need to enter the market sooner rather later to ensure they get the best buy.
Centre-Back
Madrid have one of the best young defenders of the new generation in Varane along with Sergio Ramos, who needs no introduction, but with Ramos ageing and Varane's injury issues, Madrid need a young and established defender in their ranks to compete on all fronts. Nacho has done a formidable job at the heart of the defence, but he has been used as a substitute for the right back as well as the left back which means that Madrid are already very dependent on him. Jesus Vallejo is a youngster with a bright future but he still needs some time to establish himself as an A-class defender.
Reports suggest that Madrid are ready to activate the buyout clause of their rival's young centre-back, Jose Gimenez. Not as quick as Varane, but tactically sound and aware of his positional play, he can recover well whenever his full backs are in the final third. The new manager will not hesitate in giving Gimenez a start in crucial games because of his experience at the highest level. He is a regular in the Atletico Madrid XI and the Uruguayan National Team alongside his captain Diego Godin.
If Atleti don't budge, Los Blancos will have to consider the likes of PSG's Marquinhos, who has Champions League experience and has played with and against some great footballers. His time with PSG has turned him into a starter for the Brazilian National team. The calmness he shows while passing the ball around has been a trait many defenders want. A good ball-playing center-back is a must for the team and he happens to be one. Another option for Madrid would be Ajax's De Ligt. The 18-year-old Dutch, according to several reports, is being linked to the likes of Tottenham, Barcelona and Manchester City. He is very young and inexperienced, but with the likes of Davinson Sanchez and Aymeric Laporte excelling at Tottenham and Manchester City, respectively, teams are ready to take their chances with the young guns. He should be used as an understudy to Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane and should start in Copa Del Rey games against teams like Tenerife. Sevilla's Lenglet, who is also a target for Football Club Barcelona,has been rock solid this season. He will be considered a target as Madrid like to challenge their rivals for their targets. He is also rumored to move away from Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan given his prolific season and Madrid need a solid ball playing center back. If signed, he will be competing with Varane for a place in a starting XI.
Forwards
Karim Benzema is a fine forward. He does a lot of work for the team - pressing, assisting CR7, tracking back and so on. But what he is not seen doing regularly, and that's what he is in the team for, is scoring. His league stats this season are abysmal, scoring 5 goals and assisting 10 in the 32 matches that he has played. He has been linked with a move to Chelsea and Napoli , and with Carlo Ancelotti announced as the manager of Napoli recently, it is a possibility. Also, Zidane leaving the club will be a factor in play for Benzema's departure as the Frenchman trusted his compatriot and made him start vital games for the team.
To replace him, Madrid have plenty of options at their disposal. The favourite among all is Robert Lewandowski. He suits the counter attacking play and the buid up play that Madrid tend to use in different situations. He is a favourite for the bookies amid reports that his agent stating " Robert needs a new challenge." He has a sublime record for the Bundesliga Champions and is a world class player. He is also friends with several Madrid players so it will not be tough for him to settle and sparkle .
While Lewandowki is a fan-favourite at the Allianz Arena, he is also being linked with Chelsea, PSG and Manchester United as well. It will be safe to consider other options as well, just in case he snubs Los Blancos for some other team or remains with the Bavarians. Mauro Icardi has had another prolific season with Inter and his scoring exploits, netting 29 in 34 games, have lead the Italians to an automatic qualification for Champions League next season. He has a knack of scoring goals in routine. Icardi tends to find spaces in tough times and it will help Madrid overcome tight defences that team like Las Palmas and Sporting Gijon bring with them. He will be an upgrade on Benzema and his stats are a proof of that.
With many linking either Gerath Bale or Cristiano Ronaldo, or both of them, with a move away from the European Champions, it will be good for Madrid if they start looking at the options to replace them. Reports suggest that PSG may not be able to activate the buying option in the loan deal for Kylian Mbappe due to the Financial Fair Play sanctions, which means that Madrid will be eyeing a deal for the French youngster as soon as his deal with the French Champion expires. The Monaco loanee is one of the quickest players there is and has all the tricks to pull himself out of a tight situation. He can play at any position in the front three and willl be slotted straight into the line-up in place of Benzema. A little reshuffling of the front 3 might be required to adjust him but it is a pain the manager would take for him. A quick, young player who can be the face of the team for the coming years is a solution that can solve many issues, all at once. His stats are also very impressive given his very young age, scoring 12 goals and assisting another 8 in their Ligue 1 triumph. So, if and when Roanldo or Bale leave for some other team, we have someone who can replace either of them and keep the goal-scoring intact.
Another man that has been regularly linked with the Spanish giants is Neymar. The Brazilian is perfect for Madrid, his flashy play, his goals and assists, and the fact that he can be considered as Cristiano Ronaldo's heir make him the best possible buy. His performances with Barcelona and now PSG are strong enough to consider him one of the World's best and he suits the Real Madrid style more than the style followed by Barcelona. He can also play as a central striker but given Ronaldo's age and recent change in his game, he will play as a wide forward with the Portuguese in a more central role. But the PSG chairman's claim of "2000%" regarding Neymar's stay and reports emerging that he is not interested in signing for Los Blanocs anymore, make it an interesting market for the 13-time Champions League winners to choose from.
Manager
Real Madrid stars used the social media as a platform to say goodbye to the legend, that is, Zinedine Zidane. He did wonders during his time at the Bernabeu, winning 3 consecutive Champions League and securing the Spanish League title last season. To replicate or better that and the love and affection he got from the fans and the players will be a huge task for his successor.
While Madrid are known for their attacking football, it is surprising to see reports linking the under-fire Antonio Conte with the job at Madrid. The Italian is a fine coach with 3 Scudettos and a Premier League title under his belt, along with other trophies. What he misses out on is, a Champions League winners medal, one of the most prized competitions in the world of football and something that is beloved to the reigning European Champions. While he misses out on Champions League trophy, our next candidate, unfortunately misses out on a trophy at all but ironically suits the attacking game-play of Real Madrid. Mauricio Pochettino managers the Tottenham Hotspurs and has done a formidable job. Not only did he secure another Champions League qualification this season, Poch also beat Real Madrid in the group stage game at the Wembley. It will be interesting to see if he can bring Harry Kane along with him to the Bernabeu.
Another Italian on the list is Maurizio Sarri who was replaced by a former Real Madrid manager, Carlo Ancelotti last week. Sarri is being linked with Chelsea too, and the reason behind him being a wanted man is his work with Napoli in the last 3 years. After losing Gonzalo Higuain to Juventus in his first year in-charge, he took his team to finish second in the race for the Scudetto with 91 points, a neck to neck fight with the champions Juventus throughout the campaign. He has been a revolutionary coach all these years and is also known to be great at handling the egos in the dressing room.
Arsene Wenger ended a stay of 22 years at Arsenal this season and is without a job for the time being. His record in the PL is second best only to Sir Alex Ferguson and his CV includes many trophies along with that historical 'Invincible' PL campaign of 2003/04. The only issue is that his teams often take time to get going and the Madrid fans are not as patient as Arsenal fans were with him.
Guti has emerged as another contender for the job and he can be a good replacement for Zidane given that he was is Madridista and enjoys the same amount of respect and love from the fans and the players. After Zidane's heroics, Perez won't be afraid to try on another rookie!
With all the rivals looking to improve their squads, Real Madrid need to make these changes in theirs if they are to compete on all possible fronts and want to keep this winning mentality going through the young generation as well. A good manager is important, but so are good players, if the club wants to continue winning.The upcoming summer will be exciting and interesting for all those connected to Los Blancos.
