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LaLiga has been a tight race this season so far, with multiple teams gunning for the top spot. There have been many leaders at different points of the season, with Barcelona slowly cementing their position on top with some solid performances in recent weeks. The most baffling performances have been that of Real Madrid - lacklustre, uninventive and tired. Credit to the team though, they have crawled their way back to the top four.
Barcelona have been frail at the back, a few defensive errors led to goals in the initial part of the season. After 17 games last season Barcelona had conceded just 7 goals whereas this season, they have conceded 19 goals already. This calls for reinforcements, which must be made in January in order to strengthen the squad for a tough second half of the season.
Real Madrid have not hit the ground running so far neither in the league nor the Champions League. Their home 0-3 loss to CSKA Moscow was a huge wake-up call, which clearly indicated the need for changes in the squad. The attack requires fresh legs, which is definitely something they will be looking for in January.
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Let us look at the positions that Barcelona and Real Madrid should strengthen, and whether transfer rumors suggest that these positions will be backed up.#1
#1 FC Barcelona: Left-back, Right-footed Centre-back
Barcelona have started their transfer business early, snapping up defender Jeison Murillo from Valencia CF on loan with an option to buy at the end of the season for €25 million.
Eric Abidal, director of football at FC Barcelona, quoted that Murillo is a centre-back who can also play as a full-back. He is a right-footed player, hence can be handy as a cover for Gerard Pique. But Murillo has hardly played this season with 4 games to his name, hence the move could be a risky one especially with the knockout stages of the Champions League lurking.
The benefit of doubt needs to be given to Murillo though as he has performed well with the Colombia national team in the past, and the position of right centre-back can be ignored as of today. Andreas Christensen (Chelsea) has been part of transfer rumours for a while now with The Guardian reporting Barca's interest in the player. But it is hard to envision Barcelona signing him in January after the loan move for Murillo.
Left-back is a position that Barcelona must strengthen. Jordi Alba has been impeccable this season, but his backup Juan Miranda has failed to impress in the limited opportunities that he has been given. Lucas Digne's departure left a void at the left-back backup spot, which must be taken care of to avoid issues later in the season. As of now, no transfer rumors regarding left-backs are in the news. Barcelona should target left-backs though, which may become the need of the hour soon. Jose Luis Gaya (Valencia) has always been a target for Barcelona and is a perfect fit, but it will be difficult to sign him in the middle of the season. They should look at options like Emerson (Chelsea) who is not being given enough game time at Chelsea, and can provide backup whenever Alba must be rested.
Strong transfer rumours from Fox Sports Asia in the past few days suggest the signature of Frenkie de Jong (Ajax), the 19-year-old midfielder for an approximate sum of around €75 million. Barca have also put up a statement that they have approached PSG regarding the availability of Adrien Rabiot (PSG). Both these players definitely could be the future of the club midfield, but they will find it very difficult to break into the first eleven with the form displayed by Arthur and Arturo Vidal. There are surplus options in midfield for Barca, which need not be the focus of the January transfer window.
#2 Real Madrid - Goalscorer, attacking midfield, centre-back
Cristiano Ronaldo's departure in July was always going to leave a massive void in Real Madrid's attack. So it was astonishing that Real did not even try to replace the prolific goalscorer with someone similar, in the summer. Looking back at the performances in the first half of the season, Real Madrid have struggled to score goals and expectedly so. They need a goalscorer of high quality - be it a winger or a striker. Eden Hazard (Chelsea) would be the dream signing for Real Madrid fans, as he would even be available in the Champions League. With a humongous transfer fee expected for Hazard, it may be difficult to get him in the middle of the season. But as Barca did with Coutinho last January, you can never rule the move out. Mauro Icardi (Inter) has had a good season so far, and has always been in Real's transfer wishlist. His signing is something they should seriously consider, although he has committed his long-term future to Inter in the media, as reported by Calciomercato.
Modric had a fantastic 2018, but his effect on games this season has not been profound. There is a need to groom younger players when the time comes for Modric to pass the baton. Federico Valverde has not exploded yet with his opportunities in the first team. According to Marca, Brahim Diaz (Manchester City) to Real Madrid is a deal that is nearing completion, with an expected fee of around €20 million. He is an exciting young prospect, and this is definitely one transfer that Real should try to make successful. With Isco looking for new pastures, it is imperative for Real to look at newer prospects who can shoulder the responsibility of creation and attack.
The centre-back position is one that definitely requires reinforcements. Even the central pairing of Ramos and Varane have struggled regularly this season, and their backups in Nacho and Vallejo do not have the experience to take charge of the defence. They should look to shore up their defence by bringing in some experience at the back as a short-term solution, targeting defenders over 30. Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal) and Gary Cahill (Chelsea) are looking for new clubs, as was voiced by them earlier this season. They are seasoned campaigners that could help solve Real's defensive woes at least for the short-term. Matthijs de Ligt (Ajax), who won the 2018 Golden Boy Award, is being scouted by all of Europe's elite clubs. A great defender at just 19 years of age, de Ligt is definitely one for the future that Real could try to scalp this January before his price surges, if reports from SPORT are to be believed.
