The medium and long-term project that the Real Madrid planned with the arrival of Zinedine Zidane is right now in neutral. The club wanted to sign young stars so that the coach, little by little, would give them their space in the team. The signings of Vinicius, Rodrygo, Kubo or Jovic, in addition to the return after transfer of Foreman or Odegaard They had the objective of finding replacement to the most veteran. However, that roster renewal has been completely frozen.
Zidane has created an unbreakable bond with the players who gave him three Champions League followed. Trust is total with each other and always bets on them, through thick and thin. The problem is that this collides head-on with the project proposed by the club, which seeks to rejuvenate a staff that has become outdated in certain positions. If we take this to the current situation, the bad moment that the team is going through leaves the coach in a compromised situation, since his system is not working and, in addition, young people are asking to leave in the absence of opportunities.
In October the first case occurred. Although it counted for Zidane, Borja Mayoral He asked to find a way out seeing that both Jovic and Mariano remained in the team. The striker finished in the Rome. Shortly after it was Isco The one who asked the club to leave. Although he belongs to that old guard, he has not had many opportunities this season. In this winter market there have already been two footballers who have requested a loan in search of minutes: Luka Jovic, who will play in the Eintracht of Frankfurt the next six months, and Martin Odegaard, which is about to close its exit to Arsenal.
To this must be added the little prominence of other players who, although their wish is to continue at Madrid, enjoy very little prominence. Vinicius or Fede Valverde have seen their minutes drastically reduced in recent weeks, while others like Éder Militao or Alvaro Odriozola they have not counted for Zizou throughout the season.
Assignments: solution or fix?
If Odegaard's loan is confirmed, Madrid will end January with nine players loaned, all of them in first division teams from different countries. This does not worry the club, which is aware that they need to let off steam and add experience to later succeed in Madrid. The problem is that most are planning to return in July, so Zidane will find himself in the same position.
Younger people are less troublesome. Take Kubo or Reinier, with 19 years each, can continue to grow away from the Santiago Bernabéu. The dilemma comes with Vallejo (24), Jovic (2. 3), Ceballos (24) or Brahim (twenty-one). All of them, bets on the future of the club, have the idea of returning for the preseason. What is Zidane planning? Will you have them? Otherwise, the club could be forced to sell to players of great projection who have not even had the opportunity to shine in the first team.
LaLiga Santander
* Data updated as of January 22, 2021