Real Madrid will reportedly look to swoop for Bayern Munich midfielder Thiago Alcantara in January if Julen Lopetegui’s side struggle in the first half of the season.
Los Blancos haven’t been particularly active in the market this summer, with Thibaut Courtois and Mariano emerging as their stand-out additions.
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Given that they lost talisman Cristiano Ronaldo to Juventus, time will tell if they’ve done enough to sufficiently strengthen the squad to ensure that they can maintain their impressive level of recent success.
According to Don Balon though, Thiago is already being lined up for the January transfer window if Lopetegui struggles in the upcoming months, although it’s claimed that while Bayern value the 27-year-old at €60m, Real Madrid are only willing to offer up to €40m at this point.
In turn, time will tell if firstly a compromise can be reached between the two clubs to secure a deal and send the midfield ace back to Spain after his previous stint at Barcelona.
It’s not the first time that Thiago has been linked with a move to the Bernabeu, as Sky Sports noted the interest from the reigning European champions earlier this month.
With that in mind, it remains to be seen if a January transfer materialises, with the transfer window set to close this summer on Friday night in Spain.
The Spanish international has enjoyed a glittering career to this point, winning two La Liga titles, a Champions League and five Bundesliga titles amongst many other trophies to develop a winning mentality.
Coupled with his quality on the pitch, he would certainly be an excellent addition to any side, but particularly considering Luka Modric will turn 33 later this year, perhaps a long-term replacement will be needed for Lopetegui sooner rather than later.
With his technical quality, vision and creativity abilities, Thiago may well emerge as the ideal candidate for the job.