Barcelona thrashing forces Real Madrid into drastic transfer re-think

Madrid’s Spanish Super Cup beating by Barça is now expected to see them enter the transfer market this January.

Is Real Madrid’s predicament exceptional enough to warrant an exception? That’s the question echoing through the halls of the Santiago Bernabéu since the disastrous Spanish Super Cup thrashing at the hands of Barcelona in Jeddah.

Real Madrid’s lack of depth at right-back

The issue isn’t Lucas Vázquez’s performance at right-back but a glaring lack of depth in that position. Beyond the 33-year-old, there’s no one. While there is notable confidence in youngsters Lorenzo Aguado and Jesús Fortea, they are viewed as long-term options.

Following Sunday’s heavy defeat to Barça, the debate over whether or not to enter the winter transfer market has intensified. Despite differing opinions, there’s a common view: if a signing is made, the priority would be a right-back, not a center-back.

Alexander-Arnold to Real Madrid: latest update

Plan A remains Trent Alexander-Arnold, with Madrid pushing to sign the Liverpool star as much as possible. However, without significant spending, that seems an impossible deal to do in January.

As a result, the club is now more open to finding a short-term solution: a right-back for the next six months, making an exception to their usual transfer policy.

But first, the latest on Alexander-Arnold. Spanish Super Cup week saw the pursuit of the England international be put on the back burner, although it will now become a priority again.

As previously reported, Real Madrid made a move to sign him just before New Year’s Eve. They issued an ultimatum to Liverpool: take the money now or risk losing him for free in the summer.

The amount offered was no more than $16 million, which Madrid won’t go beyond. That, however, wasn’t nearly enough to tempt the Premier League leaders, who turned down the bid and signalled they had no intention of negotiating a price at present.

Despite that, the LaLiga giants are now considering the possibility of slightly increasing their offer, given the circumstances, potentially to $32 million. But the feeling is that the Reds won’t let their right-back go in January, not even for that amount.

Ancelotti: strengthening Real Madrid defense “necessary”

This is what has changed for Real Madrid: a week ago, it was ‘Alexander-Arnold or no one’. Now, it’s less clear.

Meetings have taken place internally. While the decision to enter the market for a short-term solution hasn’t been made yet, it is now an ongoing debate.

In the wake of first-choice right-back Dani Carvajal’s injury, coach Carlo Ancelotti advised the club several months ago that he believed reinforcement was needed.

But the Italian has never been one to make demands. Quite the opposite. He simply communicates… and gets to work. But he faced a stark reality: the club believed the situation could be managed until summer, when they would sign someone. However, as matches have passed, the evidence is clear. The squad, in defense in any case, doesn’t have enough cover.

The Real Madrid coaching staff consider it “necessary” to sign a right-back in the January transfer window. They remain true to their nature and won’t make demands. But they won’t hide their view either. What’s changing is that within Real Madrid’s top management, a growing of number of voices agree with this stance.

The door that had been firmly closed is now slightly ajar. And options are being explored to cover that position for six months, assuming Liverpool remain inflexible with Alexander-Arnold.

Which right-backs could Real Madrid sign in the January transfer window?

The January transfer window is complex, but there are options. The club’s favorites, Pedro Porro (Tottenham), Jeremie Frimpong (Bayern Leverkusen) and Denzel Dumfries (Inter), are too expensive. Madrid are prepared to spend somewhere in the region of what they initially offered Liverpool for Alexander-Arnold: $11-16 million.

As long as the pursuit of Alexander-Arnold continues, even for the summer, they don’t want to sign a top-tier player, as it would create a surplus in the medium term. Therefore, Real Madrid is open to the possibility of a loan signing.

Two names stand out: Álex Jiménez of Milan (a youth player sold to Milan, who they would try to bring back) and Chelsea’s Reece James (a long-time target, but who has been injured for nearly 700 days at 25 years old; the club would need assurances he can perform for half a season before signing him).

Jiménez would be an almost perfect fit. The 19-year-old is the most expensively-sold youth player in Real Madrid Castilla’s history, with Milan paying $5.5 million for his services last summer. However, negotiations would be necessary.

Another very appealing option is Sevilla right-back Juanlu Sánchez, who isn’t currently guaranteed a starting jersey in Andalusia. A player with great attacking potential and who is also solid defensively. The 21-year was already viewed as an option for the summer if the Alexander-Arnold deal became complicated.

Rayo Vallecano’s Romania full-back Andrei Ratiu is a similar type of player and has been monitored, although he isn’t Madrid’s preferred option.

A third LaLiga option is Jon Aramburu of Real Sociedad. Madrid are admirers of the Venezuelan although it seems impossible they could prise him away for $11-16 million.

The search has also extended to more veteran players: Inter defender Benjamin Pavard is attractive because of his versatility, as he can also play center-back, although he would cost more than Madrid’s budget. Former PSG and Spurs right-back Serge Aurier is a free agent but the 32-year-old has struggled for fitness in recent seasons.

When does the January transfer window close?

In any case, a decision has not yet been made. But the wind seems to have changed since Jeddah. What was clear is no longer so. The coaching staff are in little doubt that signing a right-back is “necessary” in January, but the board is not quite as convinced. They are, however, practically unanimous in the decision that there will be no big spending this winter. If a signing is made, it will have to be a low-cost one, or even a loan.

The January transfer window closes on Monday, February 3 at 5:59pm ET. Madrid have until then to decide whether or not their predicament is exceptional enough to warrant an exception.