Ranking Real Madrid's Transfer Window Targets

For most clubs, the January transfer window offers an opportunity to make one or two alterations to their playing squad to provide a boost toward achieving their seasonal objectives—but for Real Madrid, that won't be the case this year.

Despite the Court of Arbitration for Sport reducing a ban on the Spanish side, they are still prohibited from registering any new faces in January, but the possibility for splashing out in the summer has led to a raft of transfer rumours surrounding potential deals at the end of the campaign.

Here, we assess the top links, ranked according to needs of the club rather than just the quality of the players involved alone.

6. Augusto Galvan

Starting at the bottom, what Real Madrid don't need any time soon is a young attacking midfielder, thanks largely to the emergence of Marco Asensio.

Even so, there's potential for a no-cost addition in the shape of Augusto Galvan; Marca report Madrid are favourites to take the signature of the Sao Paolo youngster, who saw his contract end at the recent turn of the year. Lacking first-team opportunities, the 17-year-old wants to start afresh with a move to Europe, according to the report, though it's tough to see anything beyond him playing a role with Castilla.

Barcelona are the other big name in the hunt for Galvan—but any move must wait until later in the year regardless of Madrid's ban, as he cannot sign outside of Brazil until turning 18.

5. Julian Weigl

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In any order of quality, Julian Weigl is going to be near the top of most lists, but a controlling midfielder isn't top of the priorities for Los Blancos.

Weigl's agents have reportedly offered the Borussia Dortmund metronome to Real Madrid, per AS, but the move won't take place in January or even in the summer. Instead, it's a long-term strategy to keep Weigl in place at BVB until 2018, then ship out to Real Madrid—allowing the Bundesliga side to continue playing with their starlet and keep him out of the clutches of Bayern Munich and Barcelona this coming summer.

While Weigl is a great talent, having Toni Kroos and Luka Modric in the centre of the park isn't exactly a hardship for Los Blancos, with Mateo Kovacic and Casemiro also getting game time—and Marcos Llorente to return from a loan spell in the summer.

4. Paulo Dybala

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It's Real Madrid, so it's no surprise that the calibre of player being linked is consistently of an astronomically high level; even so, Paulo Dybala stands out as an exceptional player for the next decade.

The Juventus forward has been a prime target for Florentino Perez, per Mundo Deportivo (h/t Calciomercato.com), and Zinedine Zidane's side have the huge bonus of being the only interested club who can afford the operation at this moment. With Barcelona's forward line loaded, Dybala has given Perez a yes to the move, according to the original report (in Spanish).

One of the main points is Dybala's contract; Juve have offered him a raise from his current €3 million salary to €5.5 million, but that still falls some way short of fellow Argentinian striker Gonzalo Higuain's €7.5 million.

In terms of operating within Real Madrid's setup, Dybala would most naturally fit in as a second forward, but would that be a match with Cristiano Ronaldo? The Portuguese superstar has moved gradually toward operating in that role, with licence to drift between the lines as well as break beyond the top striker, and it's a position he'll probably play with more regularity going forward.

For that reason only, Dybala ranks one spot below the next player on our list...

3. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

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...A true No. 9, someone who can replicate Ronaldo's pace of yesteryear and an absolute goal-getter who 100 per cent wants to join Los Blancos: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

The Borussia Dortmund striker has made it clear that he sees himself in white in seasons to come, even stating as much after a recent Champions League match against Real, in which he scored for BVB, according to beIN Sports (h/t the Daily Mirror).

It's going to be a saga that runs back-and-forth for months and perhaps even seasons to come, and the latest updates are conflicting: Sky Sports reported Dortmund's chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke admitting they would talk to Real Madrid if a bid came in, though being under no pressure to sell, while Spanish outlet OK Diario (h/t Calciomercato) reported that the German club's €80 million price tag was too high for Real Madrid.

Going up against Dybala for top spot of the attackers, Aubameyang fits the bill to work with Ronaldo over the longer term—though would necessitate an exit for at least one of the current forwards: Alvaro Morata and Karim Benzema.The Gabonese striker seems determined to make the move happen at some point in his

The Gabonese striker seems determined to make the move happen at some point in his career, though, so it could yet be a transfer that happens in the summer.

2. Thibaut Courtois

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Now onto the positions Real Madrid most need to strengthen and that make most sense to upgrade first: the defensive zones.

Keylor Navas has been a fantastic stopper for the last two seasons for Los Blancos, but he's a step below the world's best in terms of his all-round game: distribution, aerial dominance and strength in commanding his penalty box, including communication with his defenders.

There aren't too many Real could feasibly go for at this stage who would move to the Santiago Bernabeu club—rule out the likes of Gigi Buffon, Manuel Neuer and Jan Oblak and the list of world-class keepers is small—but Thibaut Courtois is a realistic target and within Real's reach.

Spanish radio station Onda Cero reported Madrid's interest in the Chelsea goalkeeper in December (h/t Metro.co.uk), though most recently, the Telegraph suggested the Spanish club were worried that the Blues would offer Courtois a new contract to raise his asking price beyond £73 million.

Courtois has conceded just 13 in 19 games this season, the best defensive record in the Premier League, and there's no doubt that he'd be a positive influence on Real Madrid's side—even factoring in his loan stint with rivals Atletico several seasons ago.

1. Sokratis Papastathapoulos

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Top priority for Zinedine Zidane has to be his defence, though.

Sergio Ramos continues his erratic form, Raphael Varane hasn't managed the top-class consistency expected of him, Nacho is left out at every opportunity and Pepe is out of contract in the summer—and it's a third Borussia Dortmund star who is linked as the replacement, Sokratis Papastathopoulos.

The Greek centre-back is a commanding presence who is aerially dominant, aggressive and, on the front foot, one of the Bundesliga's top defenders by consistency as well as quality. Bild (h/t AS) reported Madrid enquiring as to Sokratis' availability as a replacement for Pepe at the end of the season, though another German-based defender could yet fill that void: Real Madrid's own Jesus Vallejo, who is on loan at Eintracht Frankfurt.

Sokratis would make a good addition to Madrid's side and could aid with the back line becoming more consistent and reliable than it has been this season, but this is Real Madrid, after all: If they can only take one player from Dortmund, it's almost certainly going to be an attacking option, regardless of their true needs.

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