The summer of 2026 will see Real Madrid invest on the signing of at least one new central defender.
David Alaba’s contract expires at the end of the season and is unlikely to be renewed. Antonio Rudiger also finds himself in a similar situation, and given his recent injury woes, it will not be a surprise to see Los Blancos opt to move on from the German as well.
So, at least one quality defender will be needed in the summer. Names like Dayot Upamecano and Ibrahima Konate were discussed, due to their potential availability for free, but have since been ruled out.
Cristian Romero on Real Madrid’s agenda
Instead, according to Defensa Central, Real Madrid plan to go after the signing of Tottenham Hotspur defensive leader Cristian ‘Cuti’ Romero.
The Merengues want to add character to the heart of their defence and are considering an offer for Argentine international, who won the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
The view within the club is that leaders are needed in the dressing room, players with strong personality, and Romero is seen as someone who could bring that edge to Real Madrid.
The 27-year-old defender has been one of the best-performing players in his position in the Premier League for some time now.
Real Madrid have had their eyes on Romero for a few years and believe that a move for him could be feasible, with a price tag of around €70 million being mentioned in the report.
Moreover, Los Blancos are of the belief that the Argentine international’s wages will also be much more reasonable than players like Upamecano, who has still not reached an agreement over a new contract with Bayern Munich.
As per the report, Romero has the approval of chief scout Juni Calafat and is one of the defenders most admired by Florentino Perez and Jose Angel Sanchez. His signing is seen as a strong possibility.
Real Madrid are set to enter the market for a new midfielder in the summer transfer window. Having let the likes of Toni Kroos and Luka Modric leave without signing proper replacements, the Merengues are suffering.
Indeed, the club administration admits that mistakes were made in their squad planning, especially with the midfield unit, where the likes of Eduardo Camavinga, Arda Guler, and Aurelien Tchouameni have not taken the step forward expected of them.
As such, the signing of a new midfielder is very much on the agenda for Real Madrid heading into the summer transfer window of 2026.
And, one of the names that has been mentioned as a tentative target is Chelsea and Argentina star Enzo Fernandez.
Enzo likes Real Madrid, but move not on horizon
Now, according to BBC Sport, Enzo Fernandez admires Real Madrid, although the Spanish capital club are unlikely to make a move for him in the near future.
Enzo, 25, has been at Chelsea for three years now, having arrived in a big-money move from Benfica in January 2023.
The Argentine international, who was on Real Madrid’s radar at that time as well, has a contract with the Blues until 2032.
However, his camp is seeking an improved deal from the club, leading to speculations over his future at Stamford Bridge.
PSG, for one, are understood to be interested in Enzo, but the player is not keen on making the switch to the French capital. However, he does hold strong admiration for Real Madrid.
Despite that, the report states that the Spanish capital giants are not planning to make a move for the Argentine international in the near future.
After all, any move for Enzo would likely cost in excess of €100 million, given the fee that Chelsea shelled out for his signing and the time left on his contract.