MARCA report that Real Madrid are heading into pre-season with an unusual problem: not a single player, nor any of their agents, has expressed any willingness to leave the club since the Club World Cup ended. The result is a squad at full capacity and no room to bring anyone in.
A Flattering Problem With Serious Consequences
As Xabi Alonso prepares to begin pre-season work in earnest, the club faces a structural bind of their own making. Squad loyalty is one thing; an inability to move players out is quite another, and with the squad already at full capacity, any incoming signing is effectively off the table until outgoings materialise.
The conversations held during the Club World Cup about player roles and futures now need to become concrete decisions. Several situations require resolution before the window closes, and the club cannot afford to let them drift unresolved as August gets under way.
The Cases That Need Resolving
The most straightforward, in theory, involves Gonzalo García and Endrick. With Kylian Mbappé nailed on as the central striker, there is only one additional forward berth available. Real Madrid are eager not to stunt either player’s development, and the club must now decide who stays and who goes out on loan.
David Alaba presents a more delicate situation. The Austrian centre-back, now 33 and one of the club’s highest earners, has an injury history that has made his contract increasingly difficult to justify against Madrid’s depth at the position. The club are reportedly open to a contract termination, but Alaba himself is not willing to consider leaving. That is a standoff with no easy resolution.
Ferland Mendy’s position has quietly eroded. The left-back is not officially listed for sale, but the arrival of Álvaro Carreras, Fran García’s strong Club World Cup displays, and Alonso’s tactical adjustments have pushed him firmly down the pecking order. That makes him one of the harder cases to resolve even if the club decide they want to move him on.
The Knock-On Effect for Incoming Business
The logjam has direct consequences for Madrid’s ability to strengthen. Any targeted signing – whether in defence, midfield, or attack – requires a corresponding exit first, and right now there are none forthcoming. The club cannot simply carry a bloated squad into the season and expect to register new arrivals on top of it.
With pre-season about to begin, a clear-out seems essential if the club hopes to strengthen further this summer. The García and Endrick loan question is among the decisions that need to be finalised, while the Alaba and Mendy situations are considerably more complicated and will require careful handling before the window closes.
