Truthfully, Real Madrid should have been in the market for a center back transfer since the January 2024 market when, just prior, veteran David Alaba went down with a torn ACL.
Real Madrid managed to make do without Eder Militao or Alaba last season, as the likes of Dani Carvajal, Aurelien Tchouameni, and Ferland Mendy stepped up as emergency options.
This season, Carvajal has torn his ACL, too, and Alaba is yet to return from injury. With Militao, Antonio Rudiger, and even Tchouameni and Mendy all struggling with various injuries at points in the 2024/25 campaign, it’s becoming clear that Real Madrid need more depth in defense.
They have a bevy of talented youngsters coming up the ranks, but they, too, have suffered significant injuries of their own, with Joan Martinez notably suffering a torn ACL prior to the start of the 2024/25 La Liga season.
Carlo Ancelotti may finally be getting his wish of a January reenforcement in central defense with winning experience, as former Manchester City Premier League winner and Spanish national team starter Aymeric Laporte is now a planned signing in the next window, per a report from Marca.
Laporte may be playing in the Saudi Pro League right now at Al-Nassr, but the Saudi league is not a low level of competition, with Laporte’s own Al-Nassr teammate and Real Madrid legend Cristiano Ronaldo clearly attesting to some of the quality attacking talent in the top flight.
Plus, Laporte showed he’s still a great center back, especially with the ball at his feet, in recent international duty for Spain, which should give Real Madrid some confidence that he can help them.
The issue will be negotiating a transfer fee with a Saudi club, which isn’t often done, but if Laporte wants out, Al-Nassr may oblige the opportunity in order to work out a loan or possible favorable repurchase.
In general, clubs, especially a club that will want future Real Madrid legends for their stockpile, like to maintain good relationships with the Merengue club. Laporte is an achievable deal, and with the center back position aching for another veteran hand, a Laporte signing could be music to the ears of many Madridistas.
The managing editor of The Trivela Effect, Kevin has 15 years of experience in digital media. He covered Real Madrid from 2019-2022 for The Real Champs as a site manager. His work has been featured in ESPN, Bleacher Report, Yahoo! Sports, NBC Sports, and other major outlets. You can contact him at the site’s official Twitter handle @TrivelaEffect or via the site’s official email thetrivelaeffect@gmail.com.