With the operation to renew Sergio Ramos‘ contract at Real Madrid moving at snail’s pace, the Spanish club have begun to cast their net and are considering various options available in the market according to a report in Diario AS. If the Andalusian does leave the club just Raphael Varane, Nacho and Eder Militao will be the options at centre back.
David Alaba is the principal target. The Austrian’s contract at Bayern Munich expires come the end of the season and he’s already communicated that he won’t renew, creating a remarkable market opportunity.
If Alaba is unattainable, the majority of attractive options would require investment. That’s not ideal given the delicate nature of Madrid’s finances at the moment, especially given the cost of the ongoing renovations to the Santiago Bernabeu.
The other names on their list are Kalidou Koulibaly, Jules Kounde and Pau Torres. Koulibaly’s situation will change greatly depending on whether Napoli can break into the Champions League or not, Kounde’s release clause is €90m and Pau Torres’ has a fixed price of €50m.
