After a season without a single major trophy, Real Madrid have a number of holes to fill all across the squad.
Now under new management as Xabi Alonso has officially replaced Carlo Ancelotti, the club will be taking a new direction.
It will be interesting to see how Xabi Alonso approaches his first transfer market in charge of the club, considering he must work with a Madrid squad that clashes significantly with their new boss' customary tactical setup.
The Sporting News looks at the biggest needs within the Real Madrid squad and identifies potential transfer targets, while acknowledging there are plenty of unknowns regarding how Alonso's Blancos will shape up at this stage.
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— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadrid) May 25, 2025
Real Madrid priority transfer position: Striker/Right wing
The first decision Xabi Alonso must make is whether he wishes to carry over his 3-4-2-1 tactical setup from Bayer Leverkusen or move to a different formation that better fits the squad. Keeping his old system will require more of an overhaul, but both will necessitate tweaks.
If Xabi Alonso wishes to keep his tactical setup the same, he will need a number of players, starting with a true No. 9. Kylian Mbappe could play the position, but a player who profiles more like the Bayer Leverkusen striker Victor Boniface could be extremely useful at the head of the attack, with two of Mbappe, Vinicius Jr., or Jude Bellingham slotting in behind as the dual No. 10's. It's far from perfect, but would be an upgrade nonetheless. Other players who fit the bill could be the still Napoli-owned Victor Osimhen, currently on loan at Galatasaray, or Alexander Isak from Newcastle.
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Should Xabi Alonso wish to mould his tactical approach to the squad at hand, likely deploying a similar formation to Carlo Ancelotti's 4-2-3-1, he could leave Kylian Mbappe up front and Vinicius Jr. on the left. That would necessitate a new right winger, as Rodrygo's future appears uncertain. Arda Guler has been hard to trust, while Brahim Diaz and other options are similarly not long-term solutions.
Players who could fit the profile of a more back-door, off-ball foil to Vinicius and Mbappe could be the likes of Dejan Kulusevski, who has impressed opposite Heung-Min Son at Tottenham, while Nico Williams from Athletic Club could be a strong candidate as well. If they really wish to make a splash, Amad Diallo from Manchester United would fit both tactical setups, able to play as a dual-No. 10 or a wide forward.
Real Madrid priority transfer position: Center-back
The most publicly reported position of need at Real Madrid is center-back, with multiple outlets claiming Xabi Alonso is on the lookout for a new defender.
It is a sensible approach, as the club suffered through a horrible injury crisis in the position this season and will likely seek out replacements for those who cannot stay fit. That includes the likes of David Alaba, who has struggled to return from a serious knee injury at 32, and Eder Militao, who has torn his ACL twice in quick succession.
Two names have been floated publicly, with Cristian Romero of Tottenham and impending free agent Jonathan Tah of Bayer Leverkusen named in a number of reports.
Los Blancos have been linked with young Bournemouth defender Dean Huijsen, who made his international break through this season with Spain. You won't be surprised to see yet another Bayer Leverkusen name in Piero Hincapie show up on this list, while AC Milan youngster Strahinja Pavlovic has a rising stock.
Real Madrid priority transfer position: Central midfielder
Whichever tactical setup Xabi Alonso wishes to deploy, the central midfield position is an issue for Real Madrid.
Aurelien Tchouameni has flaws in his game, and has been thrown around the pitch at various times to mitigate the injury crisis at center-back. Eduardo Camavinga has disciplinary issues to go along with repeated fitness concerns, while Luka Modric no longer appears to be fit for 90 minutes of action, even if his quality remains top-class. Dani Ceballos is not capable of being a long-term option at the base of midfield, and while Jude Bellingham is a world-class midfielder regardless of what role he plays, he and the club clearly have a strong preference for a more attacking role.
Thus, another true No. 8 is required. With Martin Zubimendi joining Arsenal, and reported new midfielder Leo Westin still just 16 years old, they must find another option elsewhere.
Ederson at Atalanta, a talented passing wizard, is 25 years old and has two years left on his contract. Manu Kone is a budding midfield star at Roma but it would be a risk. Exequiel Palacios has flown under the radar, with Xabi Alonso and Bayer Leverkusen and, at 26 years old, is entering his prime.
Bonus — Real Madrid priority transfer position: Full-back
Regardless of which tactical approach Xavi Alonso wishes to deploy, he must solve the absolute mess Real Madrid have endured at full-back. The position was a source of incredible frustration for Carlo Ancelotti, as he struggled to replace an injured Dani Carvajal while Ferland Mendy also missed significant time.
There's no guarantee a 33-year-old right-back Carvajal returns to his best form after shredding his knee, and Mendy has been both inconsistent and injury-prone on the left.
They have already snatched up Trent Alexander-Arnold from Liverpool, much to the frustration of Reds' fans, but the left-back position needs attention as well.
A player like Diogo Dalot would be a strong addition for Real Madrid, but Manchester United would likely fight hard to retain him, and he's a natural right-back anyway. Alejandro Grimaldo from Bayer Leverkusen would be a great short-term option but, at 29 years old, he's at the end of his prime window. The same applies to Federico Dimarco at Inter Milan, who will turn 28 in November, and Antonee Robinson at Fulham, who has been a two-way giant in the Premier League for years but will be 28 at the start of next season.
Real Madrid tried and failed to secure Alphonso Davies from Bayern Munich, with the Canadian signing a new long-term deal. Jeremie Frimpong would be too attack-minded to play opposite Alexander-Arnold and has been touted as a possible replacement at Liverpool.
Thus, the options are thin. If they can prise Nuno Mendes from PSG, it would be a heroic coup, but that feels unlikely. Theo Hernandez from AC Milan will be 28 this coming season but would be the best of the options at his age profile.
An unsung option could be Destiny Udogie at Tottenham, who has blossomed at 22 years old into one of the most capable two-way players in his position. Ultimately, the market may not be right for Xabi Alonso to address this concern this summer, and Real Madrid may have to make do with what they have on hand, especially given Eduardo Camavinga's proficiency to fill in at left-back and Fran Garcia's status as a dependable backup to Mendy.