Real Madrid prioritising two options on five-man centre-back shortlist | OneFootball

Real Madrid have decided that they will move for a central defender at some point in the next two seasons, although reports this season have signalled that they could wait until next year following the emergence of Raul Asencio. Los Blancos have settled on a five-man shortlist for the position.

Recent reports have stated that Real Madrid believe that Arsenal defender William Saliba is the ‘Jude Bellingham of defenders’, while there have also been a consistent string of links to Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate with both out of contract in 2027. RB Leipzig central defender Castello Lukeba has also been identified as another who has the necessary qualities for a signing: young, capable of reaching the top level at their position and have experience in a top European league.

However none of those three are likely to be Real Madrid’s first point of call on account of price. Marca say that any deal will likely cost them in excess of €70m, which they consider excessive for reinforcing the centre-back area. That leaves two more on their shortlist that Los Blancos would be much more simple.

Image via GOL Digital

One of them is Bournemouth defender Dean Huijsen, who has a €60m release clause, is a Real Madrid fan and at just 19 years of age, makes perfect sense at the Santiago Bernabeu. The same outlet explain that negotiations did not end well when Real Madrid tried to recruit him from Malaga, but he is the option they like most for the position.

The other option leading their thinking is Ajax defender Jorrel Hato. Also aged 19, the Dutch international has impressed at both centre-back and left-back, making him a rare left-sided option. They believe that he would be cheaper thane likes of the trio listed before.

The disadvantage Hato would part with, by their own criteria, is that Hato has not operated in one of the so-called top five leagues in Europe. Huijsen, who this week could earn his first cap for Spain against the Netherlands, the country of his birth, also has the advantage of qualifying as homegrown for Real Madrid. With the exits of Nacho Fernandez and Joselu Mato, and Lucas Vazquez expected to move on, the lack of a strong Spanish contingent has been a talking point at the Bernabeu this season.