Squad Speculation

Someone asked in another thread, what was the plan for future squad. Perez & Co. have been very clear, the plan is to try to get Mbappe and Haaland, hoping for Mbappe this year and Haaland next. It’s now 2 weeks before market closes and possibility of Mbappe this season is slim.

So that means for this year, the front line is Benzema, Hazard and Bale backed up with Vinicius, Rodrygo and either Jovic or Mariano. Midfield is the three aging backed up Isco, Asensio and Valverde, possibly Blanco or Alaba for Casemiro relief.

Defense is Nacho, Militao, Alaba, Carvajal, Lucas, Mendy, Marcelo and Vallejo.

So let’s for the moment, assume they are successful with both sought scorers! The rest of team is getting long in tooth and we know there won’t be much activity beyond the 2 scorers. So the mass exits just simply won’t be happening in a single season. All of Modric, Kroos, Casemiro, Isco, Carvajal, Lucas, Nacho, Marcelo have to go in the next 3 years!

As to potential youngsters, we only have 3 at Castilla, Gutierrez, Aribas and Blanco, plus Brahim, Kubo and Reiner. In other words, they have pretty well gotten rid of the majority of youth prospects from past 5 years in search of some transfer funds and the cupboard is bare. The 2 potential scorers would be good for front line, but the future midfield looks very bleak. Defense can probably wait another year, but it will become an issue if nothing is done.

My sense is in addition to the 2 scorers, they need to sign one or two midfielders?

What is your opinion?

Hypothetically, how do you even fit Benzema, Mbappe and Haaland into the XI? would be waste to play Benz as winger and both him and Mbappe prefer coming in from the left as well...

As for the midfield, we might not need a signing next season if certain players can step up this season i.e.
a) Fede establishes himself as a starter
b) Ceballos recovers and can be a viable back-up to Kroos, or Asensio/Isco succesfully converts into a back-up CM
c) Blanco get's called upon and steps up to replace Casemiro, or Carlo gives Ivan Morante a shot

Not gonna try to speculate on anything beyond that but once Kroos leaves, we're gonna need a new starting caliber CM. Pipe dream would be to sign Pogba for free next summer but i doubt it's happening. There was also a bunch of rumours of Camavinga for free next summer but it looks like he might be off to PSG this summer Tchouameni is also an interesting name.

The plan is to sell Ceballos. It hasn’t happened yet due to his injury from Olympics. He is said to leave in January although it may be a loan to enable him to regain form and increase his value. Definitely not in any longer range plans. The only real hope within club is Reiner, but so far, he hasn’t made any impact since arriving in Europe. My point about midfield is all three starters have very limited life span left in them for Madrid.

Re the three scorers I believe with that amount of talent they will find a way to work together, however at this point it is a desire to get both and it won't be easy.

Benz is another one with a limited life span at Madrid. If they do get Mbappe for this year, it gives a healthy integration path for Mbappe and thus it would be another adaptation after hopefully a successful first season of Mbappe for Haaland to adjust and perhaps Benz is ready for some rotation.

But overall our front line is drastically improved with one of these two and the attrition needed will take care of itself with expiring contracts and acceptance or not of bench roles.

I still say, midfield will be the issue as I believe defense issues can be put off for another year.

There is one minor issue that I hadn't really thought of before. That is the shortage of Spanish players in squad such that we may run afoul of Spanish content rules. It sure looks like Odriozola, Vallejo, Isco and Asensio are not in any longer range plans and all of Nacho, Carvajal, Lucas are getting to the age where retired or out to pasture is 2 to 3 years away.

I’m struggling to find squad rules? Do any if you know current rules?

I see the non EU import rule (apparently the exemption for UK players has expired and it does say Bale has to use one of the three spots, but at same time, all of the current occupants are in the midst of applying fr the spanish passport exemption so don’t think that rule is an issue).

However, i’m not seeing anything about spanish born content. I know there used to be such a rule, but it looks like it isn’t in effect now. There also was a UEFA rule re home grown, but also don’t know if it is still in effect.


Does anyone know?