Real Madrid Transfer News: Young Stars on Carlo Ancelotti's January Wish List

It’s safe to say that Real Madrid have enough talent at their disposal to romp to domestic and European glory with minimal fuss, but manager Carlo Ancelotti could ensure that such success continues in years to come by dipping into the January transfer market.

The likes of Gareth Bale, Cristiano Ronaldo, James Rodriguez and Toni Kroos have been firing on all cylinders in the 2014/15 campaign, and while that’ll bring a beaming smile to the Italian manager’s face, he still has plans for the future.

Here we take a look at two young sensations who could soon be donning the famous white shirt of Real as part of the next generation of Galacticos.

Marco Asensio

Mallorca winger Marco Asensio has been under the spotlight of some of Europe’s biggest clubs for some time now, but it looks as if Real Madrid have won the race to sign the 18-year-old.

Asensio, who came through the youth ranks at Mallorca, has been a standout performer for the island club since breaking into the first team last term but could soon be plying his trade in the Spanish capital.

AS reports (h/t Yahoo! Eurosport), that a transfer of around €3.7 million will be agreed and finalised in the coming days, bringing Asensio to the Bernabeu in the summer.

While any Mallorca fan can vouch for the youngster’s quality, he remains a relative unknown on the world football map. But rest assured, Madrid supporters: Asensio is the real deal.

With bags of pace, creativity and finishing prowess, the Mallorca star has proved a nightmare for Segunda Division defences this season, chalking up three goals in the opening 14 games from the wing according to Soccerway.

To put it in Real terms, Asensio is the kind of exciting, rising talent that Isco was in his Malaga days, with potential to even eclipse the Spaniard’s brilliance.

Ancelotti himself seems to believe as much, too, as he recently said that he’s very impressed with the 18-year-old via the club’s official Twitter feed:

Yahoo! Eurosport’s report states that Madrid will send Asensio back to Mallorca on loan should he make the switch and his former employers earn promotion, but that rather depends on the star’s development.

While Asensio is still far away from being good enough to be a first-team regular for Madrid, he’ll have a part to play for Ancelotti next term should he keep developing at such an astronomical rate.

Likelihood Factor: 9/10

Unless a team can better Madrid's offer, Asensio will be on Real’s books in June.

Lucas Silva

Pedro Vilela/Getty Images

Another player who’s reportedly destined for life at the Bernabeu is Brazilian sensation Lucas Silva, who has drawn attention from a whole host of top-level clubs during his short time in world football’s spotlight.

The 21-year-old Cruzeiro star’s stock has risen considerably in the last few seasons thanks to his outstanding performances in the anchor role, and Carlos Carpio of Marca reports that Real Madrid are closing in on his signature.

Carpio writes that Ancelotti was on the verge of getting Lucas in white back in August as a replacement for the seemingly outgoing Sami Khedira, but the German’s stay in Madrid means that the transfer has been put on hold.

However, with Khedira’s future hanging in the balance, the door is once again open for the Brazilian to make the switch—it’s just a case of when.

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It could all depend on whether or not Ancelotti can tie the World Cup winner down to a contract before the January window opens, which appears to be the manager’s ambition. Ancelotti told reporters that Khedira is a necessity for keeping his side’s quality at the highest level:

"It’s the intention of the club, but then, there are also negotiations to take place. Speaking from a technical point of view, I can say that he’s a player we need.”

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Madrid could undoubtedly do with Khedira, but his high wage demands and the fact that he now plays second fiddle to Toni Kroos make him a significant expense for the club.

That’s something that AS’s Nicholas Rigg believes, too, as he revealed via Twitter:

Lucas, meanwhile, won’t cost Madrid millions every year to keep at the club, and his potential to develop means that the club could be sitting on a goldmine in years to come.

Likelihood Factor: 5/10

This transfer is totally in the balance. Ancelotti’s desire to keep Khedira in Madrid could see Lucas go elsewhere, but should the German want out, Cruzeiro may well lose their star man.