Real Madrid eye move for former Atletico Madrid player in January to bolster defense - Reports

Spanish giants Real Madrid are reportedly eyeing a move for former Atletico Madrid defender Mario Hermoso in the January transfer window. The Merengues have been hit with a mid-season injury crisis, with the heart of defense in immediate need of reinforcement.

Hermoso joined Real's youth academy in 2005 and slowly worked his way up the ranks at the club. He played for the club's C and B teams, but never made a competitive appearance for the first team.

Following a loan at Valladolid and a two-year spell at Espanyol, the Spaniard moved to Atletico for a reported €25 million in 2019. He made 174 appearances for Real's eternal rivals across five seasons (10 goals and six assists) before moving to Roma last summer.

Real Madrid are in desperate need of depth in defense at the moment. Eder Militao tore his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in their 4-0 win over Osasuna last week, which will likely keep him out for the rest of the 2024-25 season.

David Alaba is also out with an ACL tear, leaving Antonio Rudiger as the only established centre-back in Real's squad. Youngster Raul Asencio and squad player Jesus Vallejo are potential stop-gap options, but Los Blancos are likely to look for another option in January.

Although his current contract lasts until 2027, Hermoso could be tempted by a move to his boyhood club in the winter due to Roma's situation at the moment. The 2022 UEFA Europa Conference League winners currently sit 12th in Serie A and have already sacked two coaches this season, Daniele De Rossi and Ivan Juric.

Hermoso's experience in LaLiga could also be a decisive factor for Real Madrid in their pursuit of a solid partner for Antonio Rudiger.

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"We'll see what can be done" - Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti on seeking defensive cover in January

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said that the club are weighing up their options for a potential move for a centre-back in the January transfer window. The Italian tactician claimed that his side will be looking to 'recover' as many of their injured players as possible before delving into the transfer market.

Speaking at a press conference after Real's 4-0 win over Osasuna, the 65-year-old said (via BeinSports):

"I don’t know yet; we’ll evaluate it (a centre-back transfer) in the coming months. Right now, there's nothing to do but try to recover as many players as possible, and then we’ll see what can be done in January."

"At the moment, I’m not thinking about the transfer market. Until the Christmas break, we have games to prepare with the players we have... This is what we have, and as we managed well last year, we’ll do the same this year," Ancelotti added.

Real Madrid will take on Leganes in their next LaLiga fixture, which is set to take place on November 24.