Real Madrid won it in the windows. Here’s why.
Real Madrid won it in the windows. Here’s why.
Real Madrid blitzed its way into their 35th La Liga title over the weekend, thanks to Carlo Ancelotti’s familiarity with most of the first-team players.
Inheriting a squad left behind by Zinedine Zidane, Los Blancos recovered from their trophyless campaign last season by reclaiming the crown, only losing thrice in the process up to MD35.
And behind the scenes are their activities at the windows. And here’s how they do it.
Offloading the excess Baggage
Raphael Varane and Sergio Ramos were not at their best in their failed title defence last season. And with Eder Militao and Nacho getting more minutes, a clean-up is in order.
The pair left with the window just opened, as the Spaniard went to PSG on a free, and the French World Cup winner went to England for a €40 million move to Manchester United.
Apart from the pair, they sold Martin Ødegaard to Arsenal for €35 million and the Norwegian has helped the Gunners contend for a Champions League return.
Which brings us to….
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Getting David Alaba on a free
This was the July transfer that raised eyebrows for more reasons than one.
Call this one the bargain of the season, with the Austrian coming to the Bernabeu on the back of a longstanding career with Bayern Munich.
Not only was he just 29, Madrid tied him up until 2026, and his market value can go as high as 75 million euros. Florentino Perez simply meant serious business.
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Spending the transfer income in just one player
There’s no secret that Real Madrid has made Eduardo Camavinga a priority, given the fact that they need to stockpile talent with an aging midfield with four of those are already in their 30s (with Luka Modric the oldest at 36).
They bid their time to get the Frenchman, and on deadline day, they got him from Rennes for a transfer fee of 31 million euros and subsequently knotted a deal until 2027.
IT proved to be an astute one, as it is clearly understood that they need the midfield of the future, with the 18-year-old learns under Casemiro and will be an integral part alongside Federico Valverde.
What’s next for them?
The rebuild continues for Real Madrid this season, as they have known their targets clear with Kylian Mbappe and Antonio Rudiger top of their wish list.
Also, four of their current squad will see their tenures end, barring any extensions, with Gareth Bale and Isco the favorites to leave as the latter getting a verbal nod to join Real Betis on a free.
But first, let them celebrate.
