Picking the Transfer Window That Real Madrid Fans Would Love to Reboot
Real Madrid have enjoyed plenty of successful summers in the transfer market, as tends to be the case when you're one of the richest clubs in the world and have the additional draw of continual success.
But it doesn't always come together perfectly. Sometimes, the so-called final piece of the jigsaw can come along just a year too late, as another part of the puzzle departs. At other times, a seemingly perfect partner can be brought in just a short while after the other leaves their peak years behind.
Right now, Real Madrid have almost as close to a complete squad as they could possibly have; they won La Liga and the UEFA Champions League last season—but the world of football never stands still, and nor will Los Blancos.
TOP NEWS
Madrid Fines Players $590K 😲
'Mbappé Out' Petition Gaining Steam 😳
Star-Studded World Cup Ad 🤩
They'll be active in the market for new players; but what if fans could reboot a past window? What if they could select one summer, exactly as it happened, and take the players they signed then for one further season now—the same age, the same talent level as when they initially joined?
Who of the many top-class signings would benefit Zinedine Zidane's team right now?
What are Real Madrid lacking?
An important consideration. Real are, after all, champions of Spain, Europe and indeed the world right now—there's not exactly gaping holes throughout the squad.
But there are always areas to improve and components of the team or bench to upgrade upon.
A challenger to Keylor Navas in goal, an elite centre-back to bring stability to the back line or force Raphael Varane to become the consistent star he has always threatened to be, cover or a challenger for Marcelo at left-back—these are perhaps the three key ingredients Madrid could look for right now.
Additionally, an extra body in midfield and a more consistent threat than Karim Benzema has been for the past 12 months wouldn't go amiss.
Of course, it's Real Madrid, so some star quality has to be injected, too, or any window is a failure.
3. 2007/08: Depth, but not key starters
Go back precisely one decade, and Real Madrid made some interesting moves in the market.
Ahead of the 2007/08 campaign, they brought in four high-profile names, three free transfers and one complete flop—that being Royston Drenthe, a prodigy in 2007 and retired now.
The frees were to flesh out the squad, and they'd play a similar role here, if at all: Jerzy Dudek in goal, Javier Saviola up front and Christoph Metzelder in defence. None of the three, in truth, are hugely required at this point or would add anything to Madrid's squad that Zidane doesn't already have at his disposal.
But the other four are a different matter.
First off, there's Pepe. Yes, the same Pepe who has just departed the Santiago Bernabeu scene, one decade later. Given the service he provided, the industry and aggression and commitment to the cause he gave, would Zidane and the fans have him back for a year, aged 24?
Damn straight they would.
It wasn't always easy for Pepe, and he wasn't always a first pick, but there's no doubting his overall quality and longevity.
In midfield, Wesley Sneijder brings a level of creativity that was, in the first half of 2016/17, missing at times. Isco's rise to prominence later in the campaign solved much, but between Marco Asensio's astonishing start and Isco's brilliant end to the campaign, Madrid lacked ideas and ingenuity.
They also lacked runners from midfield and goals from different areas of the pitch, both of which a rebooted Sneijder—then 23—would offer.
Another Dutch 23-year-old brought far more excitement and flair, pace and panache, but Arjen Robben—even back then moving from Chelsea for big money—would present something of a tactical dilemma for Zidane. Play him wide, move Cristiano Ronaldo infield? Leave Robben as an impact sub?
With the winger, you play him and forge the team around him, or you lose him, which is what happened to Madrid soon after his arrival.
The fourth and final addition was Gabriel Heinze, a rugged and aggressive left-back who would be a perfect short-term back-up for Marcelo in the current side.
2. 2006/07: Balance where required
One year further back, we get a little more specific, a little better at covering all the gaps.
With Zidane switching to a diamond toward the end of last season, four midfielders require at least three quality back-ups—and only Mateo Kovacic and Marco Asensio gave that to the manager.
The summer 2006 arrivals of Mahamadou Diarra and Emerson would solve that problem, bringing a defensive shield to the side to cover for—or play in a double pivot alongside—Casemiro. Diarra, in particular, was a tremendous acquisition, a guaranteed starter and an absolute star in his first two seasons until a bad knee injury ended his run.
For a year, though, that iteration of Diarra would be of enormous benefit to this Real Madrid.
Further forward, Ruud van Nistelrooy was signed—and the then-30-year-old hit 25 goals in his debut campaign at the Bernabeu. Suffice to say, whether as a starter or an alternate option, he'd bring the killer instinct Madrid require.
Jose Reyes was signed on loan and would be nothing more than a sub for this Madrid outfit—though he was a sub on the final day in 2006/07 and came off the bench to seal the title, so it's not all bad—but the final capture was all-important: Fabio Cannavaro.
A FIFA World Cup winner a month earlier and a Ballon d'Or winner a few months later, Cannavaro was at his peak during this period, controlling the defence with ease and assuredness.
The centre-back would be a welcome addition right now, with Pepe having left and an amount of uncertainty still present in Madrid's back line more often than is welcome.
1. 1996/97: Elite stars, depth and cover
We have to turn the clocks back over 20 years for the perfect window to reboot for Real Madrid, but this one would suit every need, fill every requirement and bring a whole lot of excitement to the fans.
Two are overkill: Secretario and Christian Panucci were both right-backs, but neither are displacing Dani Cavajal, and Danilo has been reasonable, if nowhere near the star he was made out to be upon signing.
Everywhere else, though, it's spot-on.
Left-back needing competition? No problem. Marcelo took over the job from the legendary Roberto Carlos, and here he is being signed from Inter Milan in 96, 23 years old and full of running, power and scorching crosses.
Keylor Navas needs a challenger, or even replacing? How about Bodo Illgner, a World Cup winner, a Madrid icon and a double Champions League winner. He was commanding, authoritative and consistent, until a young upstart named Iker Casillas came and won his spot.
Needing depth in midfield? That's filled, by none other than Clarence Seedorf. The Dutch legend spent three years at the Bernabeu after joining at 20, and he was already an incredible talent then. Offensive-minded, creative, capable of the spectacular and with a great work rate, he's an all-round option for Zidane to include.
More options in attack? This summer brought a double investment in goalscoring prowess: Predrag Mijatovic to create, and Davor Suker to score.
The latter scored eight goals in his first nine league games for the club and hit 26 overall that season, a monster finisher of faultless repute. Whether Zidane continues with his two centre-forwards system or reverts to 4-3-3, both these players could be incorporated and flourish.
Mijatovic could play as a 10, wider in the attacking line or even as a striker, and despite not being a primary goal source, he still hit 14 himself that term.
Were assists and chances recorded in 1996/97, it's a fair bet he'd have run away with that title, and Ronaldo, in particular, would revel in being fed chances constantly by the former Yugoslavian forward.
The only item missing on the list is a centre-back—but hey, you can't have it all. And besides, where's the fun in having a complete, perfect, rounded-out squad? Then there'd be nobody to sign next summer...
.jpg?w=600 "Colts Release Kenny Moore")
