{"id":132896,"date":"2023-12-19T15:06:49","date_gmt":"2023-12-19T15:06:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2023\/12\/19\/centre-backs-real-madrid-should-sign-following-david-alabas-acl-injury\/"},"modified":"2023-12-19T15:06:49","modified_gmt":"2023-12-19T15:06:49","slug":"centre-backs-real-madrid-should-sign-following-david-alabas-acl-injury","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2023\/12\/19\/centre-backs-real-madrid-should-sign-following-david-alabas-acl-injury\/","title":{"rendered":"Centre-backs Real Madrid should sign following David Alaba\u2019s ACL injury \u2013"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Real Madrid<\/strong> are currently missing three key players through ACL injuries. At this point, you have to wonder whether they made some deal with the devil in order to become 14-time champions of Europe, because that is an absurd amount of ligament damage for one squad.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Joining Thibaut Courtois and Eder Militao on the treatment table is David Alaba, who sustained his ACL injury in Sunday\u2019s win at home to Villarreal.<\/p>\n

Los Blancos now have a shortage of centre-backs. Antonio Rudiger is still one of the world\u2019s very best, but their options fall off a rather steep cliff after that.<\/p>\n

With all due respect to club captain and five-time Champions League winner Nacho Fernandez, he\u2019s just not of the required level Madrid need right now. No offence, Nacho. You are 33, to be fair.<\/p>\n

Who could Madrid turn to in the January\u00a0transfer\u00a0window then? Let\u2019s break down their options.<\/p>\n

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Expensive options<\/h2>\n

Alaba\u2019s long-term future has been called into question a fair bit in recent months. German media have linked him with a return to Bayern Munich, while there have also been suggestions he is a target for the Saudi Pro League. Even\u00a0Manchester United\u00a0have been tipped to lodge a bid.<\/p>\n

If\u00a0Madrid\u00a0do not intend to keep Alaba, perhaps this is a chance to speed up their succession plans and help them remain in contention for major honours this season.<\/p>\n

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Goncalo Inacio<\/h3>\n
\"Goncalo<\/figure>\n

Inacio has broken into the Portugal national team \/ Octavio Passos\/GettyImages<\/p>\n

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  • Club<\/strong>: Sporting CP<\/li>\n
  • Age<\/strong>: 22<\/li>\n
  • Estimated price<\/strong>: \u20ac60m<\/li>\n
  • Strength<\/strong>: Left-footed<\/li>\n
  • Weakness<\/strong>: Neck beard<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    This one goes out to all you Football Manager lovers who have known about the greatness of Goncalo Inacio for years.<\/p>\n

    Real Madrid have a pretty successful record of signing long-term centre-backs from the Portuguese top flight \u2013 Pepe and Militao perhaps the best examples \u2013 and they have been tipped to return to that market with a move for Sporting\u2019s Goncalo Inacio.<\/p>\n

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    Jean-Clair Todibo<\/h3>\n
    \"Jean<\/figure>\n

    Todibo is a gossip column regular \/ Quality Sport Images\/GettyImages<\/p>\n

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    • Club<\/strong>: Nice<\/li>\n
    • Age<\/strong>: 23<\/li>\n
    • Estimated price<\/strong>: \u20ac45m<\/li>\n
    • Strength<\/strong>: Would rile Barcelona up<\/li>\n
    • Weakness<\/strong>: Sometimes outshone by 40-year-old Dante<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      It seems for all the world that Jean-Clair Todibo will be the next young centre-back to make the move from Ligue 1 to the Premier League, but if Real Madrid come calling, you\u2019d imagine it would be a chance too good to turn down.<\/p>\n

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      Edmond Tapsoba<\/h3>\n
      \"Edmond<\/figure>\n

      Tapsoba has shone this season \/ Marvin Ibo Guengoer \u2013 GES Sportfoto\/GettyImages<\/p>\n

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      • Club<\/strong>: Bayer Leverkusen<\/li>\n
      • Age<\/strong>: 24<\/li>\n
      • Estimated price<\/strong>: \u20ac55m<\/li>\n
      • Strength<\/strong>: Lots of it, yes<\/li>\n
      • Weakness<\/strong>: Bayer Leverkusen\u2019s title charge<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        Bayer Leverkusen seemed pretty open to a lucrative sale of Edmond Tapsoba during the summer having held rather extensive talks with Tottenham Hotspur. They\u2019re probably less inclined to sell him now given they\u2019re top of the Bundesliga.<\/p>\n

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        Bargain bin<\/h2>\n

        Perhaps Madrid don\u2019t want to spend lavishly right now. Perhaps they would rather re-evaluate the centre-back position in the summer.<\/p>\n

        Here are some players they could pick up on the cheap or on loan.<\/p>\n

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        Raphael Varane<\/h3>\n
        \"Raphael<\/figure>\n

        Varane won the lot with Real Madrid \/ Clive Brunskill\/GettyImages<\/p>\n

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        • Club<\/strong>: Manchester United<\/li>\n
        • Age<\/strong>: 30<\/li>\n
        • Estimated price<\/strong>: \u20ac15m<\/li>\n
        • Strength<\/strong>: Knows the club! He knows the club! He knows what it means!<\/li>\n
        • Weakness<\/strong>: United will probably try and chuck them back Casemiro as well<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          Manchester United don\u2019t seem to be building for their future with Raphael Varane in mind, with his\u00a0contract up at the end of the season\u00a0and questions at large over whether they will extend it.<\/p>\n

          How about one last dance, Madrid?<\/p>\n

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          Trevoh Chalobah<\/h3>\n
          \"Trevoh<\/figure>\n

          Chalobah is set to leave Chelsea \/ Matthew Ashton \u2013 AMA\/GettyImages<\/p>\n

            \n
          • Club<\/strong>: Chelsea<\/li>\n
          • Age<\/strong>: 24<\/li>\n
          • Estimated price<\/strong>: \u20ac15m<\/li>\n
          • Strength<\/strong>: He\u2019s available<\/li>\n
          • Weakness<\/strong>: The prospect of \u2018Big Trev\u2019 at Real Madrid Club de Futbol<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

            If Bayern Munich have looked closely at Trevoh Chalobah as an option to fill in at centre-back, why shouldn\u2019t Madrid? He\u2019s at least Champions League and top-flight proven, while he wouldn\u2019t cost an arm and a leg.<\/p>\n

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            Future prospects<\/h2>\n

            If Madrid don\u2019t want to sign the Varane of today (or thereabouts), maybe they could do what they did when they first signed the Frenchman in 2011 \u2013 find a suitable young star in waiting and mould them into a top class player.<\/p>\n

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            Leny Yoro<\/h3>\n
            \"Leny<\/figure>\n

            Yoro is highly rated \/ Jean Catuffe\/GettyImages<\/p>\n

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            • Club<\/strong>: Lille<\/li>\n
            • Age<\/strong>: 18<\/li>\n
            • Estimated price<\/strong>: \u20ac25m<\/li>\n
            • Strength<\/strong>: Already a starter for a good Lille team<\/li>\n
            • Weakness<\/strong>: Not named after Lenny Leonard<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

              90min<\/em>\u00a0reported in October\u00a0that Chelsea, Liverpool and Man Utd have all been impressed by Yoro\u2019s emergence at Lille. If you\u2019re looking for parallels, Varane\u2019s breakthrough as a teenager came down the road at Lens.<\/p>\n

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              Jorrel Hato<\/h3>\n
              \"Jorrel<\/figure>\n

              Hato is turning heads \/ Soccrates Images\/GettyImages<\/p>\n

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              • Club<\/strong>: Ajax<\/li>\n
              • Age<\/strong>: 17<\/li>\n
              • Estimated price<\/strong>: \u20ac30m<\/li>\n
              • Strength<\/strong>: Ajax are in crisis and could maybe do with the money to strengthen elsewhere<\/li>\n
              • Weakness<\/strong>: The loser mentality this crisis might have developed<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                At just 17 years of age, Jorrel Hato has played every single minute of football possible for Ajax this season and has already captained the first-team.<\/p>\n

                Special.<\/p>\n

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