Real Madrid have been busy signing Rodrygo, Eder Militao, Luka Jovic and Eden Hazard already with Ferland Mendy poised to join Los Blancos next week.
Real will have spent over €300m on new players in June and even a side as rich and powerful as Real Madrid have to balance the books.
Zinedine Zidane’s buying spree means that he needs to generate more than €250m in player sales in order to comply with Financial Fair Play regulations.
And that is before the arrival of Paul Pogba and/or Christian Eriksen.
Real are expected to sell up to 13 players this summer, with Gareth Bale, Mateo Kovacic and James Rodriguez the big names on the list of players set for an exit.
Bale, Rodriguez and Kovacic are the players that would raise the biggest fees but all three have long contracts and none are believed to be willing to take a pay-cut elsewhere.
Kovacic and Rodriguez both have deals that run until 2021 while Bale, who appears to have seen relations with Zidane sour since he took over from Santiago Solari this season, possessing a deal until 2022.
The Spanish giants value Bale at around £75m and that is a big red flag to potential suitors given the Welshman turns 30 next month.
Reports over the weekend have suggested Manchester United, who have just announced a deal for Bale’s Wales team-mate Daniel James, could look into acquiring the former Tottenham man on loan.
There are few clubs able to meet his £480,000-a-week wages at Real but United is one destination that could continue to offer him a lucrative deal.
The arrival of Hazard is likely to see his role further reduced next season and Bale faces a decision if he wants to continue to play regular first-team football.
Martin Odegaard and Isco also face uncertain futures at the Bernabeu, particularly given Hazard, who plays in their preferred position, has arrived as a ‘Galactico’ this summer.
PLAYERS WHO COULD LEAVE REAL MADRID THIS SUMMER
- Keylor Navas – Goalkeeper
- Jesus Vallejo – Defender
- Theo Hernandez – Defender
- Sergio Reguilon – Defender
- Marcos Llorente – Midfielder
- Lucas Silva – Midfielder
- Dani Ceballos – Midfielder
- Mateo Kovacic – Midfielder
- James Rodriguez – Attacker
- Mariano – Attacker
- Gareth Bale – Attacker
- Raul de Tomas – Attacker
- Borja Mayoral – Attacker
