Four free agent options Real Madrid are monitoring

Historically, Real Madrid have always preferred to splash the cash in the transfer market, signing Galácticos for exorbitant transfer fees and embracing their role as the big spenders of the football world. They even tried to do this in their pursuit of Kylian Mbappé in the most recent transfer window, but now Los Blancos are also monitoring the free agent market with interest.

According to MARCA’s José Félix Díaz, they’re doing so because the rise of state-owned clubs has changed the transfer market’s landscape, making it impossible for Real Madrid to only improve their squad through transfers with excessive fees. Plus, the fact that David Alaba has slotted in seamlessly since his free transfer has shown Real Madrid that there are lucrative opportunities out there.

In his piece on Real Madrid’s new transfer policy, Díaz outlines four free agents who the Spanish giants are seriously considering making a move for when their contracts expire next summer. Here comes an outline of those four players and their respective situations.

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Antonio Rüdiger

This is Antonio Rüdiger’s fifth season at Chelsea and it could be his last, with his current deal expiring on June 30th 2022. The German centre-back would reportedly like a new challenge in a new league and Real Madrid are aware of this, paying close attention to his situation. Having lost Sergio Ramos and Raphaël Varane last summer, with only David Alaba coming in, centre-back will be a position for Los Blancos to strengthen next off-season.

Paul Pogba

Real Madrid have been flirting with Paul Pogba for years, with the France international linked with a move to the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu on multiple occasions. The stumbling block was always his high wages and Real Madrid’s complicated relationship with his agent Mino Raiola, but a free transfer would free up more money for that high salary and the club are also on better terms with Raiola these days.

Franck Kessié

Franck Kessié could be another free agent option next summer, when his AC Milan deal is due to expire, and he is an especially attractive one considering he’ll only be 25 years of age then. With Real Madrid’s midfield getting older and older, they need to inject some youth into the centre of the pitch and already looked to do this with the summer signing of Eduardo Camavinga. Now, they could try to bring in a cheap-but-talented option like Kessié.

Kylian Mbappé

The fourth of the free agents at the top of Real Madrid’s list is Kylian Mbappé, a unique case. Real Madrid were famously willing to part with 200m euros to sign the Frenchman this past summer, but PSG rejected those advances and the forward is now set to become a free agent next summer. If he reaches January 1st without a new deal in Paris, Real Madrid will be there to negotiate what could be the biggest free agent transfer of all time.