A somewhat muddled start to the season for Real Madrid has been exacerbated by a severe injury suffered by central defender Eder Militao.
The opening months of the campaign have been dominated by a tough start to Bernabeu life for summer signing Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior’s Ballon d’Or snub, but Los Blancos’ task of retaining last term’s La Liga and Champions League titles has been made even harder by the anterior cruciate blow sustained by the Brazilian.
He won’t play again this season, leaving Carlo Ancelotti short on options with David Alaba still recovering from his own ACL issue. Having missed out on Leny Yoro to Manchester United and with a deal for former captain Sergio Ramos a reported non-starter, Madrid may have to plunge into the transfer market in January to fix their issues at the back.
Here are some of the defenders they may target in the winter window to deal with Militao’s absence.
Jarrad Branthwaite has had to deal with his own injury struggles so far this season, only starting two Premier League games due to a groin problem.
He has a bit of proving to do if he is to emerge as a genuine option for Los Blancos, but there have been links in the recent past and the 21-year-old is undeniably a talent who would fit in with Madrid’s strategy of signing young and prodigious players.
It might be a risk right now considering his fitness record and limited exposure to top-level football, but it’s still a situation worth keeping an eye on.
When trying to identify solid defensive options, it’s probably not the greatest idea to look at clean sheet avoiders Tottenham Hotspur for inspiration.
However, Spurs do have a World Cup-winning centre-back in Cristian Romero, who is said to have his admirers in Madrid.
It would certainly be incredibly entertaining to partner the Argentina international with the similarly unhinged Antonio Rudiger, but it would likely take a large January offer to prise him out of north London.
RB Leipzig defender Castello Lukeba has been one of the first names suggested by the Spanish press to mitigate Militao’s injury.
The one-time France international has developed a reputation as a tough-tackling left-sided defender, arriving in Saxony last year from Lyon after Josko Gvardiol left for Manchester City.
Unfortunately for Madrid, the 21-year-old has just signed a contract extension with Leipzig, one which has increased his release clause to €90m (£74.5m) next summer. The Bundesliga outfit certainly won’t want to sell Lukeba for any less than that sum, leaving the Spanish champions in a tough negotiating stance.
Whereas Lukeba would be a costly signing from Germany, Jonathan Tah would represent a much cheaper deal.
The defender’s current contract expires at the end of the season, having been linked with moves to both the Premier League and Barcelona over the summer.
Bayern Munich have also been touted as a potential destination for the 28-year-old, but Madrid could get a head-start on their European rivals by accelerating an approach for the Germany international.
Given Madrid’s success in plucking talented youngsters from Brazil, it’s not surprising that Palmeiras star Vitor Reis has emerged as a potential option in January.
The teenager was admired by Madrid from afar during the summer transfer window and looks set to join a European giant in the near future, having caught the eye with his fleet-footed displays in defence.
A player who has been likened to Paris Saint-Germain stalwart Marquinhos, Reis is another promising talent who could be of use to Ancelotti during his time in need.
There will be no return to the Bernabeu for club legend Ramos, but compatriot Aymeric Laporte is thought to be one of Madrid’s primary targets in January.
The former Man City defender has shown no signs of letting his standards slip despite making the move to Saudi Arabia, playing a key role as Spain won Euro 2024 in the summer.
Some funds would have to be juggled and Laporte would definitely need to take a pay cut, but his quality at the highest level is already established. It’s a no-brainer if Madrid can get it over the line.
