With the 2016/17 season done and dusted, Real Madrid have now started focusing on the next season. Zinedine Zidane has wasted no time and has made the list of players he wants the club to sign and sell this summer.
AS reports suggest that Zidane has named seven current players he does want in his squad next season. Out of the 7, Pepe has already confirmed that he is leaving while Fabio Coentrao is also heading for an exit.
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Here's the list of the five first team players who Zidane wants sold in the summer:
#5 - James Rodriguez
The first name on Zidane's list is James Rodriguez. The Colombian winger was left out of the Champions League final squad, and that was the final nail in the coffin for him.
Manchester United and Chelsea are interested in signing him while Arsenal and Bayern Munich have also made enquiries according to recent reports. Madrid are willing to let him move to Old Trafford in the deal that'll get De Gea to Bernabeu.
Real Madrid want at least €70 million for the forward this summer. James Rodriguez is also forcing a move away as he is not getting enough game time under Zidane.
#4 - Alvaro Morata
Next on the transfer list is Alvaro Morata. The striker was brought back from Juventus last summer, but he never managed to settle in the starting XI.
The Spaniard had offers from Chelsea last summer, but Real Madrid were not ready to let him leave. They rejected a £70 million bid from The Blues' but are willing to sell him this summer.
Chelsea have been joined by Manchester United in the race to sign the Madrid striker while AC Milan are also eyeing a move for him. He has offers from all the three clubs on his table but is yet to sign one.
Manchester United are the only ones who have made an official bid for him so far. They made a £52 million bid, but it was rejected straight away from Real Madrid.
#3 - Fabio Coentrao
Some Real Madrid fans have actually forgotten that Fabio Coentrao is still at Bernabeu. Zidane see's him as a 'deadwood' at the club and wants him sold in the summer.
Portugal defender has played just three times this season and has been falling down the pecking order every season. His six-year spell at the Bernabeu is coming to an end and he's set to join Sporting Lisbon.
Reports suggest that he has completed his medical at the Portuguese club and is waiting for the transfer window to open. He even skipped the Champions League celebration at Bernabeu to go and have his medical.
#2 - Karim Benzema
Real Madrid fans have been begging the club to sell Karim Benzema and to sign a replacement for him. Their wish is finally set to be granted as Zidane has lost patience with the striker and has put him on the transfer list.
Benzema is reportedly a target for Paris Saint-Germain. Arsenal have been linked with the striker for a long time now, and the recent reports suggest that they are back in the hunt for the Frenchman.
Real Madrid want to sign Paulo Dybala and Kylian Mbappe in the summer. Both the strikers are set to cost around £100 million and selling Benzema has become compulsory and not an option for them.
#1 - Danilo
The forgotten man is still at Real Madrid. The right-back was signed from FC Porto for €30 million with a lot of expectations, but things did not work out the way they had to.
Zidane is not happy with him at all and has kept him out of the squad for most of the season. He wants to sign a good back-up to Carvalho this summer and is ready to sell Danilo to raise some funds.
Joao Cancelo is reportedly Zidane's #1 target but has to beat off competition from Barcelona. Ernesto Valverde is also interested in signing him but if they strike a deal for Hector Bellerin, Los Blancos will be free to sign Cancelo from Valencia.
