In recent months, Real Madrid have relied heavily on the unstoppable combo of David Alaba and Eder Militao, but they still require another central defender to give a tough fight in the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League. Apart from the two starters, Los Blancos only have Nacho Fernandez and Jesus Vallejo in the squad, both of whom are yet to win Carlo Ancelotti’s trust. The former Granada loanee will be sold during the summer since he has no future at the Santiago Bernabeu. As a result, the club must consider bringing in a centre-back, especially given how quickly things can worsen if Alaba or Militao are injured.
One of the biggest reasons for Madrid to sign a high-profile central defender is to improve their defensive solidity. Since Pepe’s departure, they have lacked that, since the Portuguese was competing with Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane, all three of whom are exceptional options. Nacho is currently unreliable due to his lack of pace and aerial abilities. After the departures of Varane and Ramos last summer, Real have been without a quality central defender, and that was going to be an obvious weakness in the squad. Alaba and Militao, on the other hand, have set their worries aside for the time being.
These are the three centre-backs that Real Madrid can target in the January transfer window:
Matthijs de Ligt
Juventus central defender Matthijs de Ligt has everything that a player requires to succeed at a club like Real Madrid. The former Ajax Amsterdam superstar is a capable leader, brilliant defender, ambitious, and has a long future ahead of him, considering that he is only 22.
The above visual shows us the defensive stats for Matthijs de Ligt from the 2021-22 season so far. De Ligt has a very high success rate of 86.67% in winning the defensive actions he has attempted. He has a high win rate in aerial duels as he is a tall centre-back and can win most of the aerial duels he attempts. He has attempted 5.73 interceptions per 90 minutes and has also completed 10.32 recoveries. One of the most important aspects of his game is that he does not commit many fouls, as he has averaged 0.19 yellow cards per 90 minutes, which is always a good thing for a defender.
De Ligt has won most of his duels in the defensive third and has a high win rate with aerial duels. He is also a huge threat in the opposition’s penalty area from set-pieces, as seen in the above visual. His characteristics are what make him a great signing prospect. Because of his leadership, Matthijs de Ligt may be an excellent substitute for Sergio Ramos, but that’s not all. He has a strong aerial presence, excellent tackling talents, and the ability to play long balls with great accuracy – all of which contributed to Ramos’ success at the Bernabeu.
It’s fair to say that his progress with Bianconeri has been hampered by repeated managerial changes and a general perception of underperformance among the current team.
Jules Kounde
For the last one or two years, Jules Kounde has been in high demand. He’s only gotten better this season, and he’s played a key part for Sevilla. Julen Lopetegui has greatly improved the player’s work rate on the ball, and he is now a reliable carrier in possession going forward. He’s a quick defender, and while he doesn’t have the height of some modern-day central defenders, his leap makes him a viable aerial threat. Kounde can also play as a right-back due to his passing and other skills on the ball.
The above visuals show us the defensive metrics for Kounde from the 2021-22 Champions League group stages. He attempted an average of 12.28 defensive actions per 90 and won approximately 90% of these actions. He has a high success rate in winning aerial and loose ball duels. He helps recover possession of the ball and also possesses good distribution skills. He has completed 15.76 recoveries per 90 minutes and has been better than 98% of players in the tournament for the same.
Koude has played as a right centre-back and as a right-back for Sevilla. He has attempted many ground defending duels as well as aerial duels on the right flank. Similar to De Ligt, Kounde is a huge threat in the opposition box from set-piece situations.
Like de Ligt, he has proven experience playing on the elite level of football and perhaps could be a better signing as compared to the Dutchman due to his experience in La Liga. As such, the Spanish top flight is a more challenging division than either the Dutch Eredivisie or the Italian Serie A, and that is one of the things which will be considered when talking of a player’s adaptability.
Antonio Rudiger
Antonio Rudiger will be a free agent at the end of this season, and he is allowed to negotiate a transfer to any club out of England. Rudiger has been one of Chelsea’s most crucial players in recent years. He was incredible when they won the Champions League last season under Thomas Tuchel and has carried his form into the new season, in which Chelsea are once again playing some fantastic football.
Rudiger has been a regular starter for Chelsea in the Premier League as well as the Champions League. The above visual shows us the defensive metrics for Rudiger from the UCL group stages. He did not get to face many attacks from the opposition in the Champions League, which is why he has a low number of defensive actions per 90 minutes. The important stat here is that he has been able to win almost 80% of the defensive actions he has attempted.
He has a high winning percentage in defensive as well as aerial duels. As seen in the above visual, Rudiger has won most of his ground and aerial duels a bit higher up the pitch as Chelsea try and push their opponents behind.
If Los Blancos are successful in obtaining him, he will be yet another outstanding addition. While much has been said about Rudiger’s ability to adjust to a back four, it should be noted that he is a seasoned defender who will not play the same role at Real Madrid as he does at Chelsea. Both teams play very different styles of football, but Rudiger’s quality will ensure his success in Spain.
He is also at the prime of his career, with a good four or five years ahead of him if he maintains a good level of fitness. Additionally, his experience will be beneficial to Real Madrid, and he might once again provide Real Madrid with three excellent defenders to choose from.