Real Madrid ignore centre-back issues in transfer window

Real Madrid will not bring in any players during the January transfer window, and while they have looked to sign Trent Alexander-Arnold ahead of what looks like it will go through in the summer, they have not addressed their injury issues at centre-back. It is an issue that has divided opinions at the Santiago Bernabeu.

The club, reticent to spend in January as they feel there is little value in the market, have entrusted Carlo Ancelotti to get the best out of Raul Asencio, Aurelien Tchouameni and now David Alaba as emergency options to partner Antonio Rudiger this season, after Eder Militao was ruled out for the season. Asencio is a newcomer to the top level of football, Tchouameni is out of position and Alaba is just coming back from 13 months out with a serious knee injury.

Now with Rudiger out injured for a crucial spell including the Madrid derby and their Champions League play-off with Manchester City, Ancelotti will be forced to use two of those three. Cadena SER confirm there are no plans to act in the transfer market before the deadline, and say Real Madrid have not been in contact with any central defenders over a January move.

Particularly surprising is the case of Aymeric Laporte at Al-Nassr, who is reportedly desperate to move to Los Blancos. Ancelotti is also a major fan of his, and was in favour of his arrival, the only player Real Madrid have tried to sign, or as things stand will try to sign, is Alexander-Arnold.

In the past Ancelotti has coped well with absences, inventing solutions to get Los Blancos into title-contending position. But with the loss of Toni Kroos, Dani Carvajal and Eder Militao from last season’s starting team, he has found it difficult to balance the side this year.