Real Madrid set to replace trusted talent with these young gambles

With the wind at their back, everything flows more easily—even contract renewals. That’s what happened last season with Luka Modrić (39, turning 40 in September) and Lucas Vázquez (33), despite Real Madrid’s policy of renewing players over 30 on a year-to-year basis. That’s exactly how it went for them. But now, as results take a downturn again, those same renewals—first on the club’s agenda after the season ends—are in serious jeopardy. Along with those two, there’s also David Alaba (32), whose contract runs until 2026, though his case will be revisited later. All three—Lucas, Modrić, and Alaba—are facing an uphill battle to stay at Madrid. Rüdiger, also 32, still has a decent shot at remaining with the team.

Madrid is now shifting gears, focusing on a renewed push with new signings. The first in line is Trent Alexander-Arnold for the right-back position. The agreement is in place, pending the final signing at the end of the season. He’ll arrive on a free transfer. The main casualty of this move is Lucas Vázquez. Alexander-Arnold will join Dani Carvajal, who’s now back to form.

After securing the Liverpool defender, Madrid is targeting a young, promising center-back—Dean Huijsen is one of the names on the table, though his price tag is €60 million—and a midfielder. One of the top candidates is Zubimendi, but Arsenal are well advanced in their negotiations. His buyout clause is also €60 million. Whether it’s Zubimendi or someone else, the arrival of a new midfielder will likely further complicate Modrić’s continuity at the club, as his legendary career at Madrid is already seen as complete.

Alaba and Rüdiger: the hot potatoes

The situations of Alaba and Rüdiger remain the most uncertain. Of the two, Alaba’s future looks more doubtful. Although Ancelotti holds him in high regard—he’s always been one of his favorites—the Austrian has only recently returned from over a year out with a torn ACL. His last two appearances, both at full-back—against Valencia and Arsenal—were underwhelming and have prompted club management to seriously consider refreshing the centre-back lineup.

Here, Rüdiger seems to have a firm place for the coming seasons, alongside Militão (who the club hopes will fully recover from his own ACL injury this summer), Jesús Vallejo, and the likely addition of a new centre-back, probably Huijsen. Rüdiger, despite playing through chronic knee pain from a past injury, has been one of Madrid’s standouts this season.

He’s logged the third-most minutes in the squad, behind only Valverde and Mbappé. He’s also shown up in clutch moments—like converting the final penalty in the last Champions League tie at the Etihad, scoring against Atlético, and his Copa del Rey goal against Madrid. Earlier, he put in a heroic shift to secure a draw against Shakhtar in the Champions League.

Another factor working against Alaba’s renewal is his salary, which is among the highest at the club—over €10 million per year, according to Football Leaks documents published by Der Spiegel. Modrić and Lucas, by contrast, are less of a financial burden. The Croatian has been accepting lower wages in recent renewals, chasing a dream: to play for Madrid at 40 and become the most decorated player in the club’s history. He already leads with 28 titles, ahead of Carvajal (27) and Nacho (26).

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“Right now, I’m not thinking about retirement,” Modrić recently told Telefoot. “But as I’ve always said: I’d like to retire at Madrid. That would be a dream come true. Let’s see what happens.” With the wind in your sails, everything goes more smoothly. And right now, things might just be starting to turn in Modrić’s favor again.

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