Real Madrid: 5 Candidates to Be Summer 2012's Galactico Signing

A Galactico is a term used to describe superstar footballers that sign for Real Madrid.

The players themselves are usually some of the biggest names in the world and provide as much entertainment as they do ability.

Some of the major Galacticos over the years include Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo, Luis Figo, David Beckham and more recently Cristiano Ronaldo.

All of those players, bar David Beckham, have been the most expensive transfer in world football history at some point in their careers and Cristiano Ronaldo remains the most expensive footballer ever at a cost to the club of £80 million.

It seems to me that Cristiano Ronaldo's transfer fee record won't be broken for some years, so the Galacticos of this era will be identified on ability and their name alone.

Here are some possible candidates to make the switch to Los Merengues.

Neymar

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Santos striker Neymar is hot property right now.

The Brazil forward has stated that he has no intention to leave his club Santos until after the 2014 World Cup, but we all know about best intentions.

Santos won't turn down a mega offer for the player and Real Madrid have the capability to do that if they should choose.

There are only a handful of names that offer both the ability to perform and the entertainment value to sell shirts.

Neymar is one of them and the deal could be worth approximately £53 million.

Robin Van Persie

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Robin Van Persie finished 2011 as the Premier League's most lethal striker and Europe's second most lethal striker.

First place went to Cristiano Ronaldo.

Van Persie is in outstanding form and has started 2012 just as well as he left 2011.

With RVP stalling on signing a new contract with Arsenal, Real Madrid may think they could prize the Gunners top asset away from the club.

Manchester City are also rumoured to be interested and could offer the player £250,000 a week wages.

Luis Suarez

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Liverpool forward Luis Suarez has just returned from an eight game ban following an incident in which he is alleged to have racially abused Manchester United defender Patrice Evra.

Since the incident, it has been reported that Liverpools owners FSG have been concerned about the repututation of the club and as such may offer Suarez a way out.

Real Madrid are reported to be waiting in the wings with a £30 million offer.

Wayne Rooney

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It's no secret that Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney doesn't have the relationship with Alex Ferguson that he used to.

If we follow history, it usually means the player will end up leaving the club to ply his trade elsewhere.

Manchester United would be extremely reluctant to let Rooney play for a club in the Premier League, so La Liga seems a likely destination.

Rooney handed in a transfer request back in 2010 but was persuaded to stay by the clubs hierarchy.

In December he was left out of the squad following a breach of curfew which is reported to have increased tensions between player and manager.

Real Madrid are rumoured to be plotting a £65 million raid for the Englishman.

Fernando Torres

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Chelsea's Fernando Torres has been in miserable form since his £50 million transfer from Liverpool FC in January 2011.

Whether he is suffering a crisis of confidence or whether he doesn't suit Chelsea's style of play is anybody's guess.

One thing for sure is that owner Roman Abramovich is short on patience which could lead to Torres being offloaded in the summer.

Real Madrid could do a lot worse than to sign a player who has already been successful in La Liga and is looking to reignite his career.

Torres is still only 27 so should be heading into the prime of his career and deep down everybody knows he has the ability.....somewhere.

Afterthoughts

Such is the spending power of Real Madrid; they can afford to buy whoever they want as long as the fee meets their valuation of the player in question.

Whilst it could be argued that the likes of Neymar is more suited to the style of play of Barcelona, Real are known for wanting and getting the best around.

All the players on this list certainly fit into that category, and I include Fernando Torres in that statement.

Whatever Torres' problem is started when Rafael Benitez left Liverpool and continues to this day. The player may find that only a fresh start will afford him the release of pressure to start scoring goals again, and Real Madrid will certainly give him chances to do that.

As I considered who could be a Galactico signing, it struck me that Barcelona and Real already covet a large percentage of those at the top of their game.

The footballing world seems due for the emergence of a new superstar and perhaps it may be this year.

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