Real Madrid News
Three defensive midfield options for Real Madrid to deal with the absence of Camavinga, Tchouameni
With Aurelien Tchouameni and Eduardo Camavinga both out for a considerable amount of time, problems for Real Madrid and Carlo Ancelotti are now piling up.
The problem started following Tchouameni’s injury during the previous El Clasico, where he suffered a fractured foot, sidelining him until 2024. This setback is particularly impactful given that the Frenchman had consistently held the key role at Real Madrid.
However, the team aimed to address this setback by relying on the existing roster. Camavinga, typically deployed as a regular interior and occasionally as a left-back, seamlessly assumed the defensive midfield position on a permanent basis.
But Real Madrid have been dealt a fresh blow comes in the form of Camavinga’s absence, compounding their challenges on the field.
Looking ahead, Real Madrid need to find solutions for the defensive midfield position and AS reports that there are as many as three players on the roster on whom the team can rely.
Those in question are first-team veterans Toni Kroos, David Alaba, and Castilla midfielder Mario Martin.
The two senior options
To begin with, Kroos, who has already slotted in as a defensive midfielder on occasions this term, possesses the required attributes, particularly in ball-handling.
The German midfielder is capable of consistently delivering accurate passes, and he exhibits an outstanding success rate in his movements.
However, uncertainties arise when it comes to movement without the ball, specifically in physical prowess, an area where Kroos tends to demonstrate shortcomings.
Among the players Ancelotti has, Alaba emerges as the next best fit for this position, as he debuted as a full-back, converted to centre-back, and was also played as a defensive midfielder by Pep Guardiola at Bayern Munich.
But Eder Militao’s injury makes it difficult for Ancelotti to moe the Austrian international into the midfield role.
A budding talent
A temporary solution can be found from the youth team and as the aforementioned source says, Mario Martin could be one.
The 19-year-old is best suited for his position and Ancelotti has kept him on his radar for a long time. He has made over 50 appearances for Castilla and has even featured once for the senior team.
Given that both Tchouameni and Camavinga are expected back in January, it makes no sense to sign a new player in the winter window and someone like Martin could be a good temporary fix until then.
Real Madrid opted to renew Antonio Rudiger’s contract this past summer to keep him at the club for one more season.
The 33-year-old veteran defender, though, has not been performing at his best, with physical problems taking their toll and age starting to catch up with him.
As such, the expectation is that Los Blancos will not extend his contract again when his current one expires on 30 June 2027.
Tottenham eye Antonio Rudiger
And, according to reports relayed by AS, Premier League giants Tottenham Hotspur are plotting a free-transfer swoop to sign Rudiger in the summer of next year.
The north London club are understood to be keen on reinforcing their backline next year and see the German defender as an option, given his experience in the Premier League and the fact that he would be available for free in the summer.
So far this season, Rudiger has played only five games for Real Madrid, amounting to a total of 396 minutes.
The 33-year-old has even chipped in with two goals, including the all-important winner in the 4-3 comeback victory over AS Roma on Wednesday night.
Time to move on?
Despite Rudiger being a hugely respected figure in the Real Madrid locker room, he is currently the third-choice centre-back for Jose Mourinho.
After all, summer signing Ibrahima Konate and Dean Huijsen have been preferred by the manager so far in the new season.
Moreover, with Eder Militao set to return imminently after a lengthy injury layoff, Rudiger’s game-time could be impacted further.
Given the situation and factoring in Real Madrid’s plans to sign another centre-back next summer, it is pretty much evident that Rudiger does not feature in the club’s plans for beyond this season.
As such, a separation of ways seems pretty likely when his contract expires, and Tottenham are now positioning themselves as early suitors to sign Rudiger as a free agent in 2027.
Marcus
November 19, 2023 at 11:54 am
We need to start giving our academy players a shot at the first team especially in times of diffi. The fixture lisynis not as demanding as the fast few weeks.