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Real Madrid's pursuit of English goalscoring machine Harry Kane has hit yet another stumbling block. The Los Blancos could struggle to accomodate his wages, with the futures of several players in the squad yet to be sorted out.
Club President Florentino Perez is also waiting to see what happens with Karim Benzema and will only dive into the transfer market for a marquee striker should the Frenchman depart the Spanish capital.
This comes after reports from Spanish outlet El Nacional saying that Real Madrid's wage structure needs to be re-organized. With the club also interested in signing Jude Bellingham from Borussia Dortmund, sorting this problem out has now become Los Blancos' top priority.
They will need to offload Eden Hazard, Alvaro Odriozola and Jesus Vallejo - three players who have not been in the first-team squad very often this season.
This is an additional issue for Real Madrid as Tottenham Hotspur Chairman Daniel Levy is bound to play hardball in any transfer talks about Harry Kane. He is known to be a tough customer to negotiate with and will likely hold out for a large sum despite the striker having just one more year left on his current contract. However, even if he does join, registering him could be an issue.
The trio of Hazard, Odriozola and Vallejo have made just 20 appearances between them across competitions this season. Most of those have been off the bench during the late stages of games and they have seldom entered the core group of players, and are unlikely to do so next season as well. Whether Los Blancos can find potential buyers and sell them for the right price remains to be seen.
Hazard is the main piece in this puzzle as he remains one of Real Madrid's top earners despite not featuring as much. Concerns over his fitness have plagued the Belgian since his arrival from Chelsea and it could be difficult for him to find another club willing to match his wage demands.
He has refused to leave but with Perez and Los Blancos determined to push forward, Hazard could be forced out of the club should the right offer arrive.
Boost for Real Madrid as Luka Modric decides to stay
Luka Modric has been a key component for Real Madrid for the better part of a decade and has helped them win several honors. With the addition of several young and talented midfielders, the Croatian's future at the club was up in the air in recent times.
The links with Jude Bellingham did not help this cause as Modric also reportedly received offers from the Saudi Pro League (SPL). However, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has now revealed that Modric has rejected other clubs and will stay at Real Madrid. He reported that the Croatian has already agreed a deal with the club until 2024.
Modric has made 487 appearances for Real Madrid across competitions, scoring 37 goals and providing 77 assists. Despite being 37, he has remained a mainstay in Carlo Ancelotti's starting lineups, and is an important voice in the locker room.
His decision to stay is a big positive for the club as they continue to look for reinforcements in other areas of the pitch.
