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Real Madrid are preparing for the potential departure of their biggest star in the form of Cristiano Ronaldo, after reports have emerged that the five-time Ballon d'Or winner has already agreed personal terms with Serie A giants Juventus over a proposed £88 million move. With uncertainty surrounding the future of a number of players including Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema to name a few, it is as clear as daylight that club president Florentino Perez will loosen the purse strings right after the World Cup.
The defending European champions have already signed Alvaro Odriozola from Real Sociedad, for a reported fee in the region of £35 million, becoming Julen Lopetegui's first signing of the summer. However, business is not set to end there for Los Blancos this summer and if reports are to be believed, they have already identified the next set of galacticos who will help them cement their place at the pinnacle of club football for years to come.
Just like they pushed for a blockbuster deal to bring James Rodriguez to the Santiago Bernabeu after the World Cup in Brazil back in 2014, Real Madrid are expected to be in contention to land some of the best performers from this year's tournament in Russia. Without further ado, let's take a closer look at three stars from this year's World Cup who could become a galactico in the near future:
#3 Thibaut Courtois
Thibaut Courtois has been on the radar of Real Madrid for just about a year now and his current contract situation at Chelsea coupled with Blues' recent disappointment on and off the pitch makes this an interesting transfer saga to keep an eye out for in the summer. The Belgian shot-stopper is currently entering his final year with Chelsea and is yet to sign an extension with the club, while also commenting that he will be evaluating his options after the World Cup before making a decision on his future.
Real Madrid's efforts to bring David De Gea to the Spanish capital seem to have petered out and the fact that Courtois has completely outmatched his closest contestant in terms of performances at this World Cup will definitely prompt Los Blancos to try and act quickly.
Apart from Courtois, Real Madrid have also been linked with Alisson Becker of AS Roma which further implies the fact that the Madrid giants are looking for a custodian to replace Keylor Navas at the Bernabeu.
#2 Harry Kane
England skipper Harry Kane has impressed for the Three Lions so far in this tournament and is currently the leading goal-scorer of the competition with 6 goals in his 4 appearances. Kane was linked with a move away from White Hart Lane even before he boarded the plane to Russia, thanks to his stellar season with the Lilywhites in which he managed to score 41 goals across all competitions.
If his performances in the World Cup are anything to go by, Kane is certainly one of the best, if not the best, strikers in the world at the moment and Spurs will have a hard time keeping him at the club if he manages to win the Golden Boot in his first ever World Cup outing. The 24-year-old is expected to follow in the footsteps of the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and James Rodriguez to become a Galactico in the near future.
Several reports have emerged in the last few days in relation to his move to the Bernabeu that could happen in the summer.
#1 Neymar
Many people believed that Neymar's record transfer from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain last year was a detour the Brazilian had to take before eventually moving to Real Madrid in a couple of years. The odds on this strange theory bearing fruition look all the more convincing now after reports have emerged that Real Madrid are plotting an audacious bid for the winger who is expected to make a decision in the near future.
Neymar's World Cup dream came crashing down last night after Brazil's Quarter-final exit against Belgium but the next chapter in his story will roll out in a couple of weeks and we will have to wait and watch if he decides to return to Spain or stay with the Ligue 1 champions for another year, at least.
The 26-year-old will be a like for like replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo at the Bernabeu and the move could go down in history as one of the most controversial transfers of all time, considering his past with Barcelona.
