Negotiations with Rodri collapsed and the Ballon d’Or winner edged closer to signing for Barcelona, despite featuring among the names Enrique Riquelme had put forward in his electoral programme for the Real Madrid presidency. That forced the Merengues to reshuffle their cards in midfield, faced with the huge void left by the departures of Toni Kroos and Luka Modric and the need for a player capable of controlling the tempo and leading the build-up play.
On “El Larguero“, journalist Jose David Lopez put the matter in its realistic context. Replacing Rodri, he confirmed, is a near-impossible task, because the Spaniard is the best defensive midfielder in the world. In return, he put forward five alternatives that could give Real Madrid different solutions in the short and long term.
Topping that list is Englishman Adam Wharton, the 22-year-old Crystal Palace player, who Lopez sees as the closest in profile to Rodri. He described him thus: “He is very calm on the ball, has wonderful anticipation skills, and keeps his composure under pressure. His style of play resembles Rodri’s in many ways.” Those qualities have made him a target for the big Premier League clubs.
Next comes rising French talent Ayyoub Bouaddi, just 18 years old, whom Lopez considers the ideal player for the position thanks to his calmness, his knack for making the right decisions and his ability to break through the lines with his dribbling. His market value has already reached around 80 million euros, yet he represents an investment for the future capable of becoming the pivot of Real Madrid’s midfield for years to come.
For an immediate, ready-made solution, the name of 29-year-old Portuguese Ruben Neves stands out. He possesses vast experience, proven quality in distributing the ball and genuine leadership. Lopez says of him: “He has always had European offers, and thanks to his experience and leadership abilities he would be extremely useful now. He is one of the most qualified players to lead the build-up of Real Madrid’s attacks from the start”.
Denmark’s Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, 31, offers something different. He relies on physical strength, tactical discipline and covering every corner of the pitch. He may not have the same margin for development, but he gives the team the seriousness and balance required, at a cost not exceeding 15 million euros and perhaps less. That makes him an economically tempting option.
The final option, and the most likely in Lopez’s view should Real Madrid want to move quickly, is Turkey’s Hakan Calhanoglu. Lopez calls him the best option if the decision were tomorrow and with commitment to the budget, saying: “I always thought of him when Modric left. He has never stopped developing. If I had to sign someone tomorrow, I would choose him”. He points to Calhanoglu’s intelligence, his calmness under pressure and his ability to speed up play with the fewest touches, plus his excellence at set pieces, whether from free kicks or penalties.