Want to buy, Real Madrid must sell

Real Madrid's squad is uneven.

With the arrival of Gonzalo Garcia and the imminent signing of Carreras, the Bernabeu outfit will have reached the maximum of 25 players registered to play in La Liga. The number seems simple, but it is a limit that Real Madrid's sports department must calculate very carefully. If they want to add more personnel - and they will most likely - then people leaving are a must.

Full lineup, but not complete

Coach Xabi Alonso took 34 players with him to the United States for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup™, including 10 academy graduates. The tournament allows teams to register up to 35 players, so Real Madrid have no restrictions on numbers. However, when it comes to La Liga – which only allows a maximum of 25 players on the roster – things get crowded.

So far, Real Madrid have welcomed three new players in Trent Alexander-Arnold, Dean Huijsen and Franco Mastantuono. Meanwhile, three veterans in Vallejo, Modric and Lucas Vazquez have left. That means the squad remains the same in terms of numbers. Carreras will be the 23rd man, while Gonzalo and Asencio - two academy graduates who have been rewarded with first-team contracts - will help the club reach the 25-man threshold. The squad is full, but it may not be enough.

Because the recent Club World Cup has shown weaknesses that have not been overcome. The midfield needs more support, and the defense - especially the center-back position - still has many questions. Although Xabi Alonso has five center-backs at his disposal, if he uses the three-center-back formation that he tested in the US, that would be too thin for the whole season.

Rudiger had a Club World Cup to forget.

Among the central defenders, only Dean Huijsen - a new Dutch player - has left a positive impression. On the contrary, Rüdiger and Asencio are considered to have not met expectations. David Alaba is still racing to get fit after more than a year of struggling with injuries. Militao has made a good comeback, but his history of two serious injuries has made the coaching staff wary.

Real Madrid are targeting Ibrahima Konate (Liverpool) as an additional solution. But if they want to recruit more, they have to clear out first. The exit door will have to be open, if they want someone to come in.

Last season, coach Carlo Ancelotti had just 22 first-team players - the fewest in a decade. At that time, Real Madrid were forced to promote Asencio from Castilla to the first team when the defense was in crisis due to injuries. But he was still called a "B player". This year, Asencio and Gonzalo were both officially promoted, meaning the squad now has 25 players - no more, no less.

However, the issue is not quantity, but quality and tactical fit. If Xabi Alonso still wants to strengthen the team for multi-arena ambitions, especially the Champions League, then they must consider forced departures.

Champions League - a more complicated personnel problem

Like La Liga, the Champions League also only allows 25 players to be registered. But UEFA has stricter requirements: only 17 of these players are allowed to not have undergone training at a club or in their home country. That means at least 8 of the remaining players must have grown up in Spain, of which at least 4 must have been trained at Real Madrid (from 15 to 21 years old for a minimum of 3 years).

Before wanting to buy new players, Real Madrid must sell some personnel.

Real currently have seven homegrown players: Dani Carvajal, Fran Garcia, Raul Asencio, Camavinga, Vinicius, Rodrygo and Gonzalo. Carreras would be the eighth. There are also Valverde and Ceballos - who are considered homegrown by UEFA. If they relegate Arda Güler to the B list (for under-21 players who have been with the club for two seasons), Real could even let two players leave without affecting their registration numbers.

This opens the door for further changes, if Real Madrid feel the need. But even so, they will still have to make careful choices: who stays, who goes, who qualifies for the Champions League - a difficult task.

In terms of numbers, Real Madrid can be considered to have completed the squad. But in reality, that is only "enough" in terms of law, not "correct" in terms of strategy. If Xabi Alonso wants the team to have enough depth and be competitive in all arenas, then the personnel decisions will continue.

The current squad may be the framework for the future, but it is not the final look. And as with every summer at the Bernabeu, any move could have a domino effect – where a surprise departure could open the door for a new star to emerge. As long as Real Madrid are ambitious, their transfer window is far from over.

Source: https://znews.vn/muon-mua-real-madrid-phai-ban-post1568035.html