The corridors of Valdebebas have been unusually quiet this past week. Real Madrid's summer recruitment drive for a central defender has felt less like...
The corridors of Valdebebas have been unusually quiet this past week. Real Madrid's summer recruitment drive for a central defender has felt less like a surgical operation and more like a desperate man knocking on doors that refuse to open. After a string of high profile rejections, the European champions have finally received a glimmer of hope.Let's not pretend this has been anything other than a frustrating saga for the Madridista. David Alaba's departure, necessitated by his advancing years and a body that is finally betraying its owner, left a gaping hole in Carlo Ancelotti's backline. The club's usual pull has seemed to weaken. Targets have looked elsewhere. But now, according to information gathered by GoalZaza, one of their original leading targets is back on the table.The man in question is a Liverpool defender. A player who, as far back as last summer, was on the top of the Merengues' shortlist. The Merseyside club have been notoriously difficult to negotiate with for this specific asset, and the pursuing side were forced to retreat. Yet circumstances shift in football faster than a winger cutting inside. A boost has been given to the Spanish giants, and that boost is significant.What exactly has changed on Merseyside Perhaps it is a contract standoff. Perhaps it is a shift in the player's own ambition. Or perhaps Liverpool's own need to balance the books ahead of a major squad overhaul is forcing their hand. Whatever the reason, Real Madrid now have a pathway they thought had been permanently closed.For Ancelotti, this is not just any defender. This is a player who offers the kind of tactical flexibility that allows you to push your full backs high without leaving the centre backs exposed. He can operate in both a high line and a low block, a rare commodity in the modern game. It would be a signing that signals intent, not just a stop gap.The question now is whether the Spanish champions can get this over the line before August turns ugly. They have been burned before. But this feels different. This feels like the door is finally ajar.
