Real must buy a defender in January

Real Madrid will have to enter the market. The club’s policy has been to skip the January transfer window in recent years, and they would probably do so again if it weren’t for a series of injuries that have put Carlo Ancelotti in a worrying position, with only one healthy center-back available in Antonio Rüdiger. In the latest match against Osasuna, Éder Militão went down with a knee ligament injury, ruling him out for nine months, ending his season. The coaching staff was already unable to rely on David Alaba due to similar issues, and a few weeks ago, Dani Carvajal also suffered a serious injury. Carvajal had only occasionally been used in central defense in emergency situations. With Aurélien Tchouaméni also out (a midfielder who could occasionally fill in at defense) and Ancelotti lacking confidence in Jesús Vallejo (academy player Raúl Asencio started against Osasuna), it's clear that the European champions need a new solution. Three names have emerged as leading options.

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The most realistic candidate right now seems to be Jonathan Tah. The Bayer Leverkusen defender may not have been the initial favorite to replace the injured players, but he has emerged as a strong option for Real Madrid. The primary reason is that he’s the most affordable among the available options. His contract expires next June, which is a favorable circumstance. Tah’s profile fits Real's needs; he’s tall and strong, and he was previously Rüdiger's partner in the German national team, though he has recently been edged out by Nico Schlotterbeck. It’s unclear how much Real would need to pay to sign him, but Pini Zahavi, Tah’s agent, recently hinted that his client is ready for a move.

“The idea was for Tah to join Bayern this summer, as they were very interested in him. Unfortunately, Leverkusen demanded too much money. Next summer, he’ll join a bigger club, although Bayern still have a strong chance to sign him,” Zahavi said.

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This was before Militão’s injury, which could accelerate Tah’s move to Madrid. Another reason favoring Tah is that he fits the club's budget better than some seemingly more attractive options. One of these is Aymeric Laporte, but the issue is that the Spanish international earns 8 million euros per season at Al Nassr, and the club is asking for 15–20 million to release him. Real can pay this, but they want to keep costs down, and AS reports that the former Athletic Bilbao and Manchester City player would need to lower his financial demands if he wants to play at the Santiago Bernabéu. Aside from Laporte, the club is also considering Castello Lukeba, a 21-year-old Leipzig player. In the long term, Lukeba could bring the most to Real, though it’s questionable whether he’s ready to make the jump to the top level now. He also recently extended his contract until 2029, with a buyout clause of 90 million, which is too much for Madrid. Thus, ‘AS‘ has ranked the options for center-back: A) Laporte; B) Tah; C) Lukeba. One thing is certain: there will be no return for Sergio Ramos, whose name was also mentioned within the club last weekend.