New Galacticos = Must See TV: Who Will Leave Real Madrid?

(Photo by Jasper Juinen/Getty Images)

The previous Galacticos era was world-renowned for the players that were brought to Real Madrid, but it should also be notable for the players that left.

The exodus included Madrid legends Fernando Hierro and Fernando Redondo, along with Claude Makelele and Samuel Eto'o. Makelele's exit is cited by many former Madrid players as one of the key reasons of the demise of the Galactico era.

It's no coincidence that three of the above four played on the defensive side of the field, as Perez is deathly allergic to acknowledging the importance of defense in the game of football

But a move that Perez certainly regrets is releasing Samuel Eto'o, who has gone on to score quiet a few goals for arch-rivals Barcelona.

Now, Perez is back in charge and embarking on another massive spending spree. In my last article, I opined about what other Galactico might come to Madrid this year. Today, I look at the other side of the equation.

Who will leave from Madrid's squad this year?

For all the talk of the crisis at Madrid, much the squad that won back-to-back La Liga's before being outclassed by Barcelona last year still remains. That means that Madrid will have to let go of some quality players to make way for the new Galacticos.

Will the exodus force another Cantera product to ply his trade somewhere else?

For all the talk of the Madrid youth system being in ruins, Real Madrid just won the under-18 World Championship, fittingly defeating Barcelona's youth team in the championship game. So there is talent in the pipeline and Perez's Galactico policy might be a detriment to Madrid's future if it sends away more young talent.

At the time of Kaka's deal, Perez announced that at least nine members of the current squad will make way for the Galacticos. Now with Ronaldo, that number looks like it will be 10.

A key thing to remember is that with the World Cup one year away, many players who are looking to cement their national team spot will want to be on a team that allows them to feature in the starting eleven.

Let's look at the players who are most likely to be shipped out:

Fabio Cannavaro (CB): Already signed with Juventus.

Gabriel Heinze (LB): Age catching up with Argentine who was a liability last year, especially against Liverpool.

Christopher Metzelder (CB): Never healthy in Madrid, will probably move back to Germany to rediscover his form and keep his national team spot.

Royston Drenthe (Left-wing): Dutch winger, who did not want to be picked for games last year, already had one foot out the door before the new additions.

Mahamadou Diarra (Def Mid)

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