Real Madrid were very keen to sign Leny Yoro over the summer, albeit they did not want to pay over the odds for a player whose contract was set to end in 2025. They stuck to the guns, and in the end, Manchester United swooped in to sign the highly-rated teenage defender.
As a result, club officials opted not to pursue another centre-back, meaning that Carlo Ancelotti’s options are limited for this season. It’s likely that one is sought in 2025, and according to Diario AS, a shortlist is already being drawn up.
There are currently two leading candidates: Valencia’s Yarek Gasiorowski, and Vitor Reis of Palmeiras. Both are considered to be excellent prospects, and their profile is in line with the club’s transfer policy of signing younger players to develop into world class stars – even if the price is slightly excessive.
It will be interesting to see who Real Madrid opt for, if indeed a new centre-back is signed in 2025 – one should be, given the lack of options and also the fact that Antonio Rudiger and David Alaba are in their thirties.
