Rebuilding Madrid, One Pass at a Time - The Transfers, Rumors & Lies Thread

Does paying the buyout clause mean we can’t defer the transfer fee like we would be able to if we sign a player through a negotiated bid? I never knew this.

I’d assume we amortise transfer fees for any signing, buyout clause or not, during the lifespan of the players’ contract at the point of signing the deal.

We’ve never been in trouble with FFP right …

 

Alaba was a proven defender when Perez gave him that salary. No one could poredict his injuries at that time. Guehi is a newcomer. His salary should be around Huijensen or Carreras. He is being paid more than them.

 

I disagree. Alaba was never a proven top-quality CB in Germany. He also spent a fair amount of time at LB and CM/DM at Bayern but he was a free agent from an elite club.

 

I know people have been saying the ACL isn't a death sentence in modern football but I still think it is for quite a few players.

 

Alaba was an elite player. Anyone who likes football liked watching him play. In his first season with us he was a general when we had the ball, basically filled the Ramos void without any problem.

Defensively he played CB in Bayerns CL win, and then our CL win. Yes he was in his absolute prime as a LB probably but he has tremendous success playing CB as well, before the injuries.

Guehi, Konate, Upamecano, Shlotterback etc. these guys aren’t on the level that Alaba was, not really even close.

 

🚨 BREAKING: Nico Schlotterbeck’s FAVORITE destination if he leaves BVB is: REAL MADRID!

The Spanish club is also considering him, and his likely price of €40M - €50M will NOT be a problem.

The player is expected to make a decision on his renewal in March. @BILD pic.twitter.com/i1BsmPiEE5

— Madrid Xtra (@MadridXtra) February 11, 2026

 

Yeah, that's a player I'd sign for that fee. He can immediately slot into the starting line-up and provide substantial value. Do it!

 

Would be a good signing.

 

Yeah I'm going to forever disagree with the takes on Alaba being an "elite" CB at Bayern or in his first season at RM

 

Alaba at least was well-decorated before Madrid. He won everything in Munich, and was named on the UEFA Team of the Year and Bundesliga Team of the Year many times. I knew that trophies or even personal awards might mean nothing, but if Perez did not give him a big salary, someone would give him one. Besides, I said that he was a "proven defender". And he stepped right into Ramos' shoes and made us to forget about one of the greatest defenders in Madrid's history. We cannot blame him for being injured after that.

Guehi on the other hand is a prospect.

 

My main issue is with the club's narrative and the bullsh!t it spews to excuse itself from doing business in the winter (Guehi is an example).

Again Alaba is a side point. But I don't think he made us forget Ramos, one of the best CBs of all time, not even close. His "amazing" first season would have been viewed in a drastically different light if not for Benzema, Rodrygo and Cortouis pulling rabbits out of their asses KO game after another. His defensive adultery was quite the spectacle in Europe and in the league.

His next season was a disgrace then he checked-in permanently into the clinic. Not his fault entirely. IMO Alaba was a bad deal overall.

 

I think Kobe Mainoo (contract expires 2027) would be a decent alternative to vitinha than an enzo or kees smit

 

Also, we should not under any circumstances bring back Endrick. People have their minds deluded by tiktok goals but here he would get buried for the amount of mistakes he makes to get to one of those highlights.

Needless to say, Franco should also go on loan and stay there until he learns to receive a ball.

Nico Paz tho, should definitely comeback and I believe he replaces Arda in the starting lineup. Much stronger, much more press resistant and same level of passing and left foot.

 

I don't think there is a shortage of good young players that can make this team better but I do think our recruitment has been piss poor. Its like they just bring any kid off the streets without the slightest film study on them. There have been many technically gifted young players that have come to the scene in other teams but we always seem to get the big brute oafs or the shiny new toy with zero technical ability to play ball (and sideways passing doesn't count) or think under pressure.

 

🚨 Nico Schlotterbeck le dio LIKE a un post en IG con la camiseta del Real Madrid para la próxima temporada.

🤭🤭🤭

📷 @TheMadridViews pic.twitter.com/G3F4mkSGye

— (fan) REAL MADRID FANS 🤍 (@AdriRM33) February 12, 2026

Rumor that Schlotterbeck has given a like to a post displaying him in a Real Madrid jersey for next season

 

Hope he comes. I'm sure Bayern would love to have him as well.

 

Honestly not a fan of Schlotterbeck. I don’t think he’s fast enough and he’s another positional liability at times. But, that’s seems to be our profile for CB I guess.

 

Estevao Willian
Desire Doue
Kenan Yildiz
Lennart Karl
Rodrigo Mora
Rodrigo Mendoza
Yan Diomande
Joao Neves
Kobbie Mainoo
Warren Zaire-Emery
Tom Bischof
Michael Olise
Elliot Anderson
Ethan Nwaneri
Hugo Ekitike
Tijjani Reijnders
Ryan Cherki
Omar Marmoush
the rest of the city team which they have completely rebuilt in 2 years with young technical players.

Im not saying get these players now, obviously its too late and easy to single them out now in hindsight but a year or 2 ago, these were either academy players in big clubs or played in second tier teams. But all of them, technically sound.

Our scouting strategy seems like just go with whatever name the next south american talent agency shouts the loudest without doing any homework on our end.

Hate to single him out but even from a cursory youtube highlight it was evident that franco had zero fundamentals and was bumbling about in River. But he scored some screamers from 40 yards and thats all it takes to convince us it seems. Even arda, has a good game against us, scores some goals for turkey, next he is the turkish messi so we have to get him. But who does the career wide analysis of these players, can this player play in tight spaces, what is their decision making, do they have defensive capabilities etc. It feels like our recruitment chases hype than actually evaluate a player.

And I don't agree that you never know what a young player will turn out to be. Just go look at modric at 20 bossing the england national team. The fundamentals or lack thereof are always there from the beginning and its a scouts job to spot that.

 

Ekitike failed at PSG though Ligue 1 move from Reims to PSG was supposed to be straight forward for him, Mainoo was bench warmer and almost out of Utd, Estevao is a rotation player who produces once in a while at Chelsea that doesn't have any standout wingers

We only talk about the highlights of many of these players during their developmental phase. Yildiz for example while with Guler we watch every minute of his lowlights too.

PSG signings like Neves, Doue are the ones who delivered right away and Olise at Bayern. City signed a lot of flops struggling to replace Silva, KDB and the new ones that are starting are not fully convincing seen like Huijsen at RM. Omar had a hot start as mid season signing last year and now in flop territory not playing much and Semenyo delivering right now.

They have a world class coach in Pep and this has been arguably his weakest squad despite spending 800 M odd in last 2 years trying to replace legends.

Haaland's goals carried them for several games this season much like Mbappe scoring so much have us just 1 point behind Barca despite coaching mess situation.