5 reasons why Real Madrid’s transfer ban is a blessing in disguise

Sometimes, the best gifts come in ugly wrappings. They might, on the front, seem disgusting, but once you open them, it leaves a huge smile on your face.When Barcelona were handed the transfer ban just over a year ago, many thought that a terrible 2015 awaited them. A supposedly weak backline and not enough strength on the bench made many people pessimistic of Barca’s fortunes in the future.But, as it turned out, Barca’s 2015 was their best year after the glorious calendar of 2009. With 5 titles in 2015 coupled with a 4-0 drubbing of Real Madrid at the Bernabeu, Barca had a merry year despite being banned from registering new players in 2015.One could say that Barca’s ban was a blessing in disguise for many reasons. For one, it made the existing group try harder as their backs were against the wall. The same could happen with eternal rivals, Real Madrid and here are reasons why:

#1 No more reckless calls from Florentino Perez

Florentino Perez's hands will be tied.

If there is one club where the manager has the least say on which players to buy and sell, it is Real Madrid. Los Blancos are perhaps the only club in the world where the president makes the decision on the happenings in the transfer market.It has been reported that Manuel Pellegrini wanted to keep Sneijder and also that he wasn’t consulted before the acquisitions of Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka. Similarly, Carlo Ancelotti, it is said, wanted to keep Angel di Maria, but he was sold to make way for James Rodriguez.The only manager who had any real influence in the transfer market was Jose Mourinho and the rewards were instant. Real Madrid broke the round of 16 barrier, that they couldn’t break for over half a decade, in Mourinho’s first season itself.

Despite the Portuguese’s ill-doings at the club, one can’t deny that he laid a strong foundation for Carlo Ancelotti to build on. Now, with the transfer ban in place, the construction magnate can’t be his usual self during transfer windows and must refrain because his hands will be tied.

Hence, reckless and unnecessary signings will be off the charts for a while.

#2 Stability in the team

Di Maria was sold off to make way for James Rodriguez

Every successful team in the world had some sort of stability before laying hands on glory. Be it Bayern Munich in 2013 or Barcelona during their glory era and even currently, stability is the core that binds a team and carries them to the peak of triumph.

Real Madrid may have won the Champions League in 2014, but they are far from what one could call a stable team—and the number of league titles since the Del Bosque era is a testament to that fact.

Despite having a star-studded squad, Real Madrid never really fulfill the potential it promises. And one of the biggest reasons for that are the constant changes in players (and managers, of course).

For example, di Maria was Madrid’s most important player, in a tactical sense, in their Champions League glory in 2014. However, he was sold off in the very next window to make way for James Rodriguez.

The void left by the Argentine was never truly filled. He was the most essential cog in Ancelotti’s swift-attacking system, and Perez insisted on selling him instead of awarding him the pay rise he so deserved. The Galacticos are yet to fill in the gap that has been opened with the former Benfica man’s absence and it looks like it will be a while before Zidane can plug that hole.

However, with the ban in place, the squad will remain intact for a year, giving the club some sort of stability and Zidane a chance to build with what he has in place already.

#3 More assurances for Keylor Navas

Luck has favoured the Costa Rican in the form of this transfer ban.

It seems as though Keylor Navas and Real Madrid is a match made by God and that nothing can separate them. After a summer of intense rumours linking David De Gea to Real Madrid, and Keylor Navas to Manchester United, it seemed as though the Spain number one was on his way to become the guard of the goal at the Bernabeu.

However, due to some last minute glitches by both the teams, the transfer never happened – and Navas has been the guardian between the sticks ever since. And he has taken his chance with both hands.

Along with Karim Benzema, he has been Real Madrid’s best player this season and has protected the club numerous times with a string of saves to avoid Madrid from dropping points. While the Frenchman has scored the first goals in many games and earned points for the team, the Costa Rican’s acrobatic presence in front of the net has made sure that those goals scored didn’t go in waste.

Yet, however, the De Gea rumours haven’t ceased to stop—especially after the Whites’ form fell post the Clasico defeat. And it has somewhat affected the former Levante ‘keeper as his own form isn’t as optimal as it was at the beginning of the season.

But again, luck has favoured the goalkeeper in the form of this transfer ban as he can now be assured of his place till the summer of 2017 at least—and that, in turn, could give him the confidence to perform at his best.

#4 The youth will get a chance

The youths will get the chance to blossom to their potential.

Barcelona and Real Madrid have been phrased as ‘cantera y cartera,’ which implies Barca’s focus on youth of their own academy while Madrid’s concentration in the transfer market to sign already established stars for big money.

The sad fact is that the club rarely uses their academy and groom players into their first team. Dani Carvajal, for example, had to prove his worth with Bayer Leverkusen before being bought back by the club—something which Alvaro Morata is currently doing at Juventus.

The last time a player was directly promoted to the first team was Jese and he did brilliantly, so much that he was being labeled as Real Madrid’s own Neymar. However, a terrible knee injury put a halt in his progress and he hasn’t been the same player ever since.

With the ban in place, Zidane will now have to peek into the academy and use the players more often than the previous managers. Talented stars like Borja Mayoral and Mariano Diaz are sweating their foreheads off to make it to the first team and they certainly do possess the talent to do so.

And then there are the players are out on loan.

Jesus Vallejo is a highly rated 19-year-old defender playing for Zaragoza. He is tipped to become one of the world’s best center backs in the future. Similarly, Marco Asensio is another highly rated youngster who is taking La Liga to storm with his performances for Espanyol—with some wondering why he isn’t playing for Madrid right now itself.

And let’s not forget that Fabio Coentrao is out on loan only, so he can be brought back to solve the left-back crisis.

Bringing back players is one thing and using them consistently is another story entirely. But with the transfer ban in place, Perez will have no choice but to bring them back and ‘Zizou’ will have no choice but to use them regularly, giving them a chance to blossom to their potential.

#5 Immediate action in the current transfer market

Paul Pogba could be ZIdane’s first signing.

This is the least likely to happen, but with Real Madrid unable to sign players in the summer, they might just roll up their sleeves and try to immediately fill in the cracks before they become big.

For one, the club needs a left-back to challenge Marcelo. Currently, the only option they have is Arbeloa—and he remains the only player in the team that no longer possesses the required level of ability to be a back-up option for a club of the stature of Real Madrid.

The lack of bite in midfield is also a small concern as Casemiro is the only one who can be labeled as a defensive midfielder, but he is rarely used anyway, so it seems like the Blancos won’t sign another holding player regardless of the ban.

There is, however, one player they could sign to fill in the box-to-box void left by di Maria’s departure: Paul Pogba.

Zidane is a long-term admirer of the Juventus star and he could become his first Galactico signing. However, it seems really unlikely that he will be sold by Juventus in the middle of the season unless he is bought now, but kept on loan at Turin for the rest of the season (talk about manipulating the rules).

All in all, Real Madrid will have to make quick signings of players that they actually need and this could result in some sensible acquisitions that will help the club in the long run and with all the aforementioned points, this ban could just become a blessing in disguise for Los Merengues.