4 Early Candidates to Leave Real Madrid in the January Transfer Window
Early in the 2016/17 season though it still is, there is already a clear core of the Real Madrid squad being utilised by manager Zinedine Zidane, a group of 14 or so who battle for the first XI places and then a clutch of others all hoping for game time who are rotated in and out as needed.
On the pitch, the signs have mostly been good for Los Blancos that a season of challenging for trophies is on the horizon; while a four-game drawing streak provoked discussions and questions of both the coach and players, it should also be remembered Madrid remain unbeaten in 23 games and are joint-top of La Liga.
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The trend is generally upward, the players in place are largely contributing and there remains optimism about how the remainder of the season will pan out. But it's also likely that one or two changes will be made along the way.
With the squad still looking somewhat bigger than it needs to be and Zidane not calling upon a select few with regularity, here are the four early front-runners to seek a departure from the Santiago Bernabeu in January—though much will depend on the potential FIFA-imposed transfer ban, which could mean Real are unable to sign any replacements.
Mariano Diaz
Still referred to as a young striker because he hasn't made his breakthrough at Real Madrid, Mariano Diaz is in fact 23 years old—the same age as Alvaro Morata and three years older than Marco Asensio, both of whom are ahead of him as attacking options and playing far more frequently.
Despite making an impression in pre-season, Mariano has been limited to just 13 minutes of action this season: a sub appearance against Celta Vigo in Jornada 2.
He has made the bench a further four times without coming on, but even those occasions have largely been as a result of injuries elsewhere in the squad. The feeling must be that with Karim Benzema being given chance after chance despite looking unimpressive and Morata being a more than able deputy, Mariano isn't going to get his chance and must move on.
It's probable any exit would be an initial half-season loan, with AS reporting Alaves are interested in the player, potentially allowing Marcos Llorente to return to the Bernabeu.
There's no place for Mariano and no opportunity for him perhaps beyond the early rounds of the Copa del Rey. To prove himself as capable of contributing in La Liga, he needs to do so elsewhere before coming back.
Four or five months scoring goals for a team in the bottom half of the table and showcasing his skills could see him tread the same path as Asensio did and as Llorente is hoping to—but he stands no chance of making it at Real in the current climate, transfer ban or not.
Left-back Fabio Coentrao has yet to make an appearance this season after returning from injury despite regular starter Marcelo missing more than one game through his own fitness issues.
The Portuguese defender initially looked to have won back an opportunity when he was given a squad number in the summer, but a series of setbacks to his original thigh injury—suffered last season on loan at AS Monaco—have kept him sidelined.
Most major Spanish newspapers reported he would start when Real Madrid played Eibar and Marcelo was out, but Coentrao was not even named in the squad. Danilo played left-back, and AS reported the Portugal international missed training in the days that followed.
Marca also reported his injury as being a "mystery," and while Coentrao was finally named on the bench against Borussia Dortmund on Sept. 27, he has been absent in the three matches since.
With Danilo impressing offensively on the left when given a chance this season and Nacho filling in splendidly, both centrally and on the left, when called upon, Zidane may well consider that he has enough cover for Marcelo, even if neither Danilo nor Nacho is a like-for-like replacement—left-footed, pacy and forward-thinking.
Another reason for Madrid being more willing to offload Coentrao is Castilla hopeful Abner.
Two long-term knee injuries have wrecked the Brazilian's time at Madrid so far, but Zidane has been supportive, and the club rates him. Early in October, that support was partly vindicated as Abner made his return to the pitch for the B team.
Marca reported that Zidane thinks so highly of Abner that he told the full-back not to retire when he was considering it and that the hierarchy believes a promotion to the first team is not far away if fitness permits.
Lucas Silva
No surprises for the third name on the list: Lucas Silva.
The midfielder struggled at Real Madrid in his first year, 2014/15, endured a terrible time on loan at Marseille last term and was set for a move to Sporting CP this past summer—but that fell through.
A heart issue, detected during endurance tests, meant Silva twice failed the medical, according to AS. While early reports of a retirement were soon ruled out, he has since been undergoing tests and has played no part in the season for Real Madrid.
Needless to say, while his health remains the priority, a fit Lucas Silva stands little chance of winning a place in the Real Madrid midfield on merit. A move away seems his only opportunity to regain confidence, his place in the Brazil youth setup and the poise on the pitch that made him a target for Los Blancos in the first place.
If he's available to play in January, it's likely not even a transfer ban would prevent Madrid offloading him.
One of the Attacking Midfielders
There are question marks over the creative schemers of the squad and how much they are able to contribute, and it's not just limited to Isco and James Rodriguez anymore.
If the BBC attack of Benzema, Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo is considered a guaranteed starting three, then Casemiro, Luka Modric and Toni Kroos aren't far behind as a midfield troika. Beyond them, Morata and Mateo Kovacic provide regular back-up this season, which leaves another group battling for irregular starts and sub appearances: James, Isco, Asensio and Lucas Vazquez.
Zidane has favoured each at different times of his near-year in charge, but it's Isco who lags well behind the others for overall game time this term. Just 282 minutes of play for the Spaniard means only Mariano and Nacho of Madrid's regular squad have played less for the team this term.
Lucas has been used as sub more often than not, and the feeling remains that letting just one of that group go could mean an awful lot more time on the pitch for the others, solidifying the main group while still having the depth to cope with any injuries.
It is these players who would be most affected by a transfer ban, as they couldn't be replaced if needed, but in the interests of the collective being more together and more relied-upon and members being more valued individually, perhaps it's the way Madrid will have to go.
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