Real Madrid: 8 Players Jose Mourinho Would Love to Have
Real Madrid have always held a leading role in the transfer dramas that play out every summer and 2011 is no different.
Florentino Perez struck Turkish gold early this summer with the early signings of Hamit Altintop and Borussia Dortmund's whiz-kid Nuri Sahin, but with a rampant Barcelona still formidable competition, the merengues will have some serious bolstering to do if they wish to challenge the Catalan club's stranglehold on international and domestic tournaments.
Here are eight players Jose Mourinho could use if he intends to challenge for the top spot.
Aguero
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The tabloid transfer of the summer. Aguero has publicly stated that he would like to leave Atletico at all costs kickstarting a frenzy of buyers (notably Juventus and Chelsea) but Maradona’s son-in-law, by all accounts, would prefer to keep his 5 million euro home in Madridand ply his trade across town (to the chagrin of the colchoneros). Aguero’s young, malleable and exceedingly talented- he scored 17 goals last season, relieving an aging Forlan of his front duties- and would fit in nicely along a wing, likely in the stead of his compatriot Di Maria. Should Mourinho deviate from his patented 4-2-3-1, he could also play as the second striker.
Unfortunately for Real Madrid, Atletico’s 60 million dollar man won’t leave for a penny less that his rescission fee.
Fabio Coentrao
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All but settled. Fabio Coentrao had his definitive break-out this season following an impressive World Cup campaign and is of serious interest to a host of clubs, the most likely of which is Real Madrid.
While Madrid’s tactics-going to the player and his agent before the club- may have irked Benfica, the Portuguese club will not hold the left-back against his will. Coentrao has, on several occasions, declared his love for the Spanish club to the press.
Mourinho will be happy to have another reliable full-back on the roster, especially one as young and talented as Coentrao. Marcelo watch your back!
Mohamed Sissoko
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While not one of the marquee names most louldy bruited about by the press, Sissoko is one of the best purely predatory defensive midfielders out there. He is aggressive but delicate with his standing tackles and has decent ball control- just don’t ask him to make too many passes.
Mourinho has admitted his fancy for the Malian midfielder, and with Lass DIarra on the outs, Sissoko could prove a bargain buy for the midfield.
Eden Hazard
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Another popular name of the transfer window, Eden Hazard has been the buzz of Ligue 1 all year. Despite lackadaisical approaches to training, he won the Ligue Player of the Year award in the past campaign (being the youngest player to do so) and his tricky wing-play and skills on the ball have earned him paragons with Messi and Ronaldo. A classic winger, Hazard would compete well with Angel di Maria on the right side of the park-given their very similar styles of play- and would make an excellent substitute. While competition is fierce for the little Belgian, a certain Zizou has made it clear that Hazard should be Real Madrid’s primary focus in the market.
Raphael Varane
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For a player coming from a newly relegated team, Varane has been attracted some serious international attention from the likes of Arsenal, Manchester United, Bayern Munich and now, Real Madrid. Madrid particularly need a center-back upon whom they can build for the future, Carvalho being too old, Garay on his way out and Albiol, well, just doing alright.
Acrobatic and with an intelligent vision, the French-born defender would make a good sidekick to Pepe’s leading role.
Javier Pastore
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El Flaco has been lighting it up at Palermo these last two years who, should they sell the lanky playmaker, stand to make a profit of nearly 30 million euros. Pastore is built in the number 10 mold- he posses a broad vision of the field, a number of tricks up his sleeve as well as a fearsome shot- and would be a great understudy to the talented but delicate Mesut Oezil.
Michael Essien
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This reunion looks less and less likely as Chelsea plot to include the Ghanian in a swap for Tottenham’s Luka Modric, but there’s no reason Mourinho can’t dream. At the time of his signing in 2005, Essien was the most expensive transfer in Chelsea’s history and during his tenure there he has proved himself to be worth every cent. One of the best in the world in his role, Essien is renowned as much for his impressive endurance rate as well as his ductility of style, being capable of assisting in defense and offense alike.
Really, he can do it all. Diarra and Sissoko are both phenomenal tacklers and strongmen, but neither has passing ability on par with Essien, while Khedira lacks his grint. Unlikely but, who knows?
Neymar
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The go-to name of the year, the precocious Santos starlet has been accosted with-literally- every major club in Italy, Spain and England, at some point or another. Were you to go by the Daily Mail, you’d know Neymar’s had an iron-clad contract with Chelsea since January. Marca would have you believe that Neymar’s got Mourinho on speed-dial.
Last week FIFA agent Ernesto Bronzetti dropped a bombshell in the press-which soon proved a dud- that Neymar was all but signed to the merengues, which was news to Santos (and Neymar, too). So that remains histrionic speculation.
Still, Mourinho, like most people, would like to have the tricky prodigy in the white kit. While Neymar’s definitely raw, heavy on talent, light on tactics, a few weeks with the Special One could prove mutually beneficial- the Brazilian living up to his Peixe pedigree, Mourinho living off it.
