Real Madrid are reportedly planning for life beyond Marcelo, and have set their sights on Villarreal left-back Alfonso Pedraza as a possible replacement.
The 22-year-old has established himself as a key figure for the La Liga outfit, making 13 appearances in all competitions so far this season.
His form has seemingly caught the eye of Real Madrid, with Mundo Deportivo noting that the Spanish giants could be considering him as a potential long-term successor for Marcelo at left-back.
The Brazilian international turns 31 next year, and although he still has plenty left in the tank as evidenced by his impact so far this season, he has been heavily linked with a move to Juventus, as noted by Calciomercato.
With that in mind, if he does choose to move on, then he will leave a major void behind that must be filled, and Pedraza could be the player to do that based on the report above.
Meanwhile, that isn’t the only big addition that could be made at Real Madrid next year, as Mundo Deportivo also reports that James Rodriguez is pushing for a return to the Bernabeu in January.
Having struggled for playing time under former boss Zinedine Zidane, it’s suggested that the change in the Spanish capital has now swayed him into wanting a second spell at Real Madrid.
Whether or not he gets his reported wish remains to be seen, but given the likes of Marco Asensio, Isco and Lucas Vazquez are struggling to provide the necessary creative quality in the final third, the Colombian international could be seen as a key solution with his experience and track record.
It’s been a struggle for Madrid so far this season, as their poor form ultimately resulted in Julen Lopetegui getting sacked last week.
Despite their win over the weekend, they remain in sixth place in the La Liga table, and so January reinforcements might well be needed to help them get back on track and win trophies.
