5 potential replacements for Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid

After nine years in the Spanish capital, it looks as if Cristiano Ronaldo’s tryst with Real Madrid is finally coming to an end. He is closing in on a move to Italy with Juventus, and reports are suggesting that he has already agreed to move to Turin after they launched a £88 million bid. If he leaves now, he will go down as one of the greatest players to wear the famous white shirt, and probably one of the greatest that we have seen in football history. His record with Real is nothing short of incredible. He made 438 appearances for the club in all competitions and scored an extraordinary 450 goals.

It may be a surprise to know that in his nine seasons at the biggest club in the world, he has won only two La Liga titles. He has, however, won four Champions League titles at the Bernabeu, including in each of the last three seasons, becoming the first team to achieve that feat since Bayern Munich in 1976.

It has been an incredible spell for him, as far as personal honors are concerned as well. He won four Ballon D’or’s while at Real Madrid, taking his tally to five, level with Lionel Messi. He is also Real’s all-time leading goalscorer, as well as the top scorer in all UEFA competitions. He may be 33, but he is still a key player in this Madrid side. He will be a massive loss, but here are five players who could replace him.

#1 Eden Hazard (Chelsea)

Will Chelsea let go of his services?

There have been links in the past. He has made no secret of his interest in playing in Spain. He has been with the Blues for six years, but having seen them miss out on qualification for the Champions League last season, he may feel that it is time for him to move on from Stamford Bridge. You could argue that he hasn’t been given the opportunity to play with genuine world-class talent in England, and this is something he could get with Real.

He is 27 now; approaching the peak of his career. This would suit Real, as he would act as the natural replacement for Ronaldo out on that left-wing. Undoubtedly, the fee will be high, and if they do move for Hazard, it is likely that they will have to pay over £100 million for his services. But Hazard is a world-class player, and there aren’t many of them out there. If Real want a readymade replacement to Ronaldo, they won’t come much closer than Hazard.

#2 Neymar (PSG)

Real have been forced to deny reports that they have agreed to bring Neymar to the Bernabeu after just a single season in France. It is fair to say that the Brazilian’s move to PSG hasn’t quite worked out the way he would have liked it. He said his move to Paris was to help him achieve his goal of winning the Ballon D’or, but after a year in Paris, you could argue that he has never been further from winning the award.

Ballon D'or at Real Madrid?

It would be a controversial move if Neymar were to join Real, not just because it is only a year since he made the world record move to the French capital, but because it would be an ex-Barcelona man moving to the Spanish capital. He would fit the Galactico mold at Real though. Much like Hazard, he will demand a massive transfer fee, and with FFP in place, it may be one step too far.

#3 Kylian Mbappe (PSG)

While Neymar is already a superstar in world football, Mbappe is in line to be the next one on the scene. The Frenchman is only 19, but has already proved himself to have all the attributes needed to go all the way to the top. He, like Neymar, has had just a single season with PSG, but on loan. This summer, the permanent move to the Parc des Princes will go through, as per the loan contract.

He is already a quality player, and will only get better as he gets older. He has scored 47 goals in the past two seasons and has shown the composure in front of goal. He has shown with his excellent performances at the World Cup, that he is capable of dealing with the immense pressure of the biggest stage, and that is something that will be attractive to Real.

The next big thing

#4 Paulo Dybala (Juventus)

Anyone up for a swap-deal?

As one comes in, the other may have to go out. If the deal for Ronaldo goes through, it will be an expensive one. Not just the transfer fee, but the wages, and the agents’ fees, so they may have to move one out, in order to balance the books. Dybala may be the unfortunate casualty of the deal, as it is likely to be his place that Ronaldo takes in the team.

Dybala isn’t really in the same league as Hazard or Neymar, but technically, he is still a superb footballer. He still isn’t the finished article, but if he fulfills his potential, he will be one of the best players in the world. His goal record at Juventus isn’t great, but he just had the best season of his career so far, suggesting he is still improving.

#5 Marco Asensio (Real Madrid)

It is possible that Ronaldo’s replacement is already at Real Madrid. He will need to be an investment though. He is currently nowhere near the level that Ronaldo has been at in recent years, and it will take patience on Real’s part if he is to reach that level. However, we have seen in recent years that the hierarchy at the club aren’t exactly patient, and they will demand immediate success.

He is an exceptional talent though, and there is a reason that the likes of Liverpool have been linked with a move for the 22-year-old in recent weeks. He has only started 30 La Liga games for Real in his two seasons and has scored nine goals in those appearances. He demonstrated his skills perfectly in the Spanish Super Cup last year, scoring two sensational goals against Barcelona over the two legs, and Real will be hoping for more of that in the future.

Slowly making an identity of himself