Nonsense. If you think Real aren't going to still be strong, you're crazy.

Talks that Real Madrid won't be splashing the cash unless they can get Hazard.

Banking a lot on Bale staying happy and fit, and that Asensio can continue to develop.

I can't believe that. They barely spent anything last season.

It certainly doesn't fit their mantra, but there's little available quality out there right now.

I said it elsewhere, but I think they're waiting for things to crumble at PSG so they can pull one of Neymar or Mbappe....possibly Cavani, though he may only have 2-3 years left.

If you're Real Madrid though, which stars would you target and expect to land?

Salah, Verratti, etc. Possibly Dybala since Juve might need to offload someone?

A club that possibly needs to sell Kovasic because they can't give him minutes shouldn't pursue Verratti in my opinion. A striker is what they need the most, but a marquee signing such as Hazard or Salah would obviously do.

Kovacic is nowhere near Verratti's level. Modric is 33 this fall and Kroos looks like he has even less time left at top level. Real need to restock on midfielders at some point in the near future. If I were them I'd target either Pogba or Verratti this summer in addition to whatever forward they want to bring in.

I don't think it really matters. If you want Salah you're going to have to pay a world record breaking free regardless of whether he has four or five years left on his contract.

It does give the club holding his contract more room to say f-off though and if I were Liverpool I wouldn’t sell regardless of how far Salah would go to get a move.

I think Hazard is the most likely candidate to move.

goon wrote:

It does give the club holding his contract more room to say f-off though and if I were Liverpool I wouldn’t sell regardless of how far Salah would go to get a move.

I think Hazard is the most likely candidate to move.

given his comments after the world cup, i would agree..  he definitely would welcome a move to Real.. 

Can see Madrid struggle this season. Seems all a bit deflated to me at the moment, three CLs in a row Zidane and Ronaldo leave, then a shitty WC showing and their manager so far has been a joke at Porto and sacked the day before the World Cup starts. They need a huge signing most likely

I don't even think it's that contentious. They were pretty poor for the first half of last season and when it came to showing consistent levels of quality, Barcelona and At. Madrid had them beat.

I think RM have done the right thing.
Ronaldo is aging and past his prime so it's amazing Juve paid that much for him.
They have Bale and Asensio (wasted in their reserves) so the void can be filled if these guys regain their form.
Modric, after his WC performances, is bound to go for an inflated price with Isco and Kroos able to provide good enough cover.

------Casemiero------
--Kroos----Kovavic---
-----------Isco-------
---Bale---Benzema

Not terrible, but certainly lacking goals. Would imagine they may push Isco deeper to try to bring in Asensio/Vasquez.

I think that's pretty poor compared to what At.madrid and Barcelona will be putting out.

Aye. Kovacic and Benzema are nowhere near starting material for a club like Real, Kroos is in decline and Bale's got issues. Team's good enough for third place again, but you have to think they'll splash big on someone if Modric leaves.