5 things Real Madrid need to do next season

Following what was a pretty dismal season by the club’s very lofty standards, things are looking brighter at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Long time target Eden Hazard has finally arrived from Chelsea. The Belgian's arrival coincides with that of a number of players including Serbian hotshot Luka Jovic from Eintracht Frankfurt. Left-back looks to become a position of strength over the next decade with the arrival of French international Ferland Mendy from Olympique Lyonnais.

This is coupled with the already agreed arrivals of Brazilian international centre-back Eder Militao from FC Porto and young starlet Rodrygo Goes from Santos.

A sum of €303m has already been spent to bring in these players and a significant number of players are expected to go the other way as well as the club looks to balance the books.

With Zinedine Zidane firmly entrenched as the head coach at Real Madrid, here is a look at 5 things they need to do differently next season.

Also see : Womens World Cup Bracket, Gold Cup Standings, Copa America Standings

#5 Send out starlets on loan

Players like Reguilon will need to go on loan

Unlike El Clasico rivals, Barcelona, Real Madrid’s La Fabrica has produced a decent crop of players in the last decade or so. Real’s cantera has not had a Golden Generation similar to the 1984-1987 set at Barca (Gerald Pique, Cesc Fabregas and Lionel Messi were a couple of years behind Xavi and Andreas Iniesta).

However, the current crop of young guns looks to have the potential to be decent for the club in the long term. The likes of Borja Mayoral, Raul De Tomas and Sergio Reguilon as well as others like Federico Valverde, Martin Odegaard and Jesus Vallejo will need loan spells or sales with buyback clauses at clubs where they will get regular action.

Currently, when all the on-loan players return, the club could have as many as 37 players on its books for pre-season. It would be ludicrous to suggest that all the unwanted players especially the younger ones should be sold.

It would make more sense for the players with potential to be sent out on loan for at least a season so they can gain much-needed experience.

#4 Give more game time to the bench players

The likes of Asensio will need regular involvement

One of the hallmarks of Zidane’s best season as Real Madrid manager (2016-2017) was the quality the team had coming off the bench. The likes of Isco Alarcon, Marco Asensio, James Rodriguez, Alvaro Morata, Mariano Diaz and Mateo Kovacic provided an unbelievable strength in depth to the envy of many first XIs across Europe.

The French manager didn't manage these players effectively enough to make them feel wanted. This led to agitations for moves away from the club - Morata, Diaz, James (loan to Bayern) all moved the following season.

With an abundance of players to choose from in his second stint, Zidane will need to be smarter in how he makes use of the very large squad (at least 25 players) he will have to choose from next season.

8 players or more are expected to move (sales and loans) before the transfer window shuts down in September. This will still leave a very talented squad of 25+ players to choose from.

Zidane will need to keep the squad happy. With 3 competitions to look forward to, the manager and his backroom staff will have to take up rotation as a matter of necessity.

#3 Continue reducing the average age

FC Internazionale v Eintracht Frankfurt - UEFA Europa League Round of 16: Second Leg

Real Madrid have one of the younger squads in Europe thanks to a deliberate culture of buying young talent in the last few years.

Brahmin Diaz, Marco Asensio, Andriy Lunin, Dani Ceballos, Theo Hernandez and Vinicius Jr. among other players have come along in the last few years. These have helped the club drop its average age to 26.8 last season.

Of all new recruits brought in so far in the summer window, only Hazard is in his late 20s (28). The others are aged between 17 – 22 which speaks well of the club’s long-term planning.

While the first team is still predominantly filled with elder statesmen such as Sergio Ramos and co, the supporting cast are getting younger. With adequate game time, they will be ready to step up when the veterans start getting phased out.

#2 Clear out deadwood

Players like James should be let go

With so much youthful and experienced talent already in the team, it is inevitable that some players will feel left out and angle for a move elsewhere. The list of players on Real Madrid’s pre-season roster will read like a who-is-who sheet for some of the world’s most talented players.

James Rodriguez, Kovacic, Diaz, Theo Hernandez and Navas are just some of the many talented stars who may have no place in Zidane’s team next season. Gareth Bale is clearly unwanted while Asensio and Isco may be let go as well if suitable offers come in.

Napoli has been mentioned as a possible destination for James, Ceballos may seek greener pastures, Llorente may move to Atleti if Rodri is sold to Manchester City as is being speculated.

Kovacic is said to be intent on a return to Inter Milan as well. The club may recoup between €150-200m if these sales come through and would still leave a quality squad to pursue the 2019-2020 season.

#1 Create a coherent style of play

Zidane will need to create a coherent style of play

One of the features of Zidane’s first two-and-a-half seasons as Real Madrid manager was the adaptability of the team. On a given day, the team would line up in a 4-3-3 formation with Karim Benzema drifting to the flanks to make room in the middle for Cristiano Ronaldo.

On other occasions, it would be a four-man midfield behind Ronaldo and Benzema. The extra midfielder (usually Isco) given the freedom to drift anywhere he liked.

The departure of Ronaldo means that such a free-wheeling approach may no longer work as no one on the team currently has the ability to deliver the mind-bending goal haul which the Portuguese superstar became synonymous with.

Therefore, a set system to fit in with the players available would be very important. The arrival of Jovic could mean that Zidane could go two upfront (Jovic and Benzema) with Hazard having a free role behind them.

This would mean lots of space for the fullbacks: Dani Carvajal/Alvaro Odriozola and Marcelo/Ferland Mendy to bomb up and down the flanks as in such a system, they would be responsible for providing the width.

However, a 4-3-3 seems the most likely with one striker, Hazard and another wide forward in the front three. The three-peat UCL midfield of Casemiro, Kroos and Modric should start as well. In defence, capitan Ramos will start alongside Raphael Varane with Thibault Courtois in goal.