- 12 hours ago
Five players who could leave Real Madrid this summer
Real Madrid are in the midst of a historic transfer window, but there will not only be new arrivals at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The signing of Kylian Mbappe and the rumoured pursuit of Alphonso Davies will leave a major dent in Real Madrid's finances.
Though Los Blancos have built a team that can dominate football for the next decade, they will have to move some people in order to not fall foul of financial regulations, having recently been forced to take out a loan to pay everyone's wages after Mbappe's arrival.
There are several players at the Santiago Bernabeu who are facing an uncertain future. Here are five players who could leave Real Madrid this summer...
Andriy Lunin (25, goalkeeper)
Andriy Lunin had big shoes to fill last season. Thibaut Courtois endured knee injuries that kept him sidelined for most of the campaign, but Lunin did well as the Belgian’s replacement.
The club won the La Liga title as well as the Champions League with the Ukrainian between the posts, but now Courtois is back from injury, he will be put back on the bench.
Despite a pretty torrid Euro 2024 tournament in which he made several mistakes while representing Ukraine, Lunin is still highly rated and has been linked with a move to the Premier League.
Real Madrid view Lunin as Courtois’ long-term successor, but whether he’s willing to wait several seasons to get his chance remains to be seen.
Ferland Mendy (28, left-back)
Ferland Mendy could also leave the Santiago Bernabeu in the coming months. Though the Frenchman actually enjoyed a very good season on a personal level - being hailed as the best defensive left-back in the world by Carlo Ancelotti - it is not set in stone that he will stay.
Mendy is out of contract in 2025 and French media has linked him with a move to the Premier League, naming Arsenal, Man Utd and Liverpool as potential suitors. Fabrizio Romano, meanwhile, has confirmed that Mendy's future is still completely open: he could leave but he could just as well sign a new deal.
READ MORE: Five players who could join Real Madrid this summer
Dani Ceballos (27, central midfield)
One of Real Madrid's forgotten men, Dani Ceballos has barely featured for the club in recent times. Yet, for some reason, he decided to extend his contract in the summer of 2023, despite having suitors elsewhere.
Tied down until 2027, the former Arsenal midfielder continues to be courted by Aston Villa boss Unai Emery, who brought him to the Emirates in 2019. Madrid's closest rivals, Atletico, and his former club Real Betis are also said to be interested and it seems his time as a Real Madrid player is coming to an end.
Jesus Vallejo (27, centre-back)
A player on the books at Real Madrid for ages but will little game time to speak of under his belt, Jesus Vallejo has returned to the club after a loan spell at Granada.
Real Madrid are facing defensive injury problems and have to cope with the departure of captain Nacho, so the centre-back could be kept around. Vallejo, however, has no chance of seeing consistent minutes so may feel he should finally depart the club for good.
Rodrygo (23, winger)
The arrivals of Mbappe and Brazilian wonderkid Endrick have thrown up some major questions regarding the future of Rodrygo. The attacker has been ever-present in Ancelotti's side, yet it has been claimed that he could be moved on to help balance the books.
The 23-year-old will face huge competition for minutes next season and could be pushed out of the team entirely, having not always been the most reliable of attackers. A whole host of Premier League sides are paying attention to his situation and they are ready to pounce.