Real Madrid need a right back and will sign one, the question is when and how many. After Lucas Vazquez went down again against Barcelona on Sunday evening, the debate within the club has reignited over whether to appoint a defender in the January market.
The main option if they were to do so would be to make a fresh bid for Trent Alexander-Arnold, but Liverpool have shown a reluctance to let the England international go in this transfer window.
Within the club, the coaching staff are adamant that another option is needed, and there are more and more voices within the club that agree with them. But the hierarchy, let down by president Florentino Perez, at least initially planned to hold out until the end of the season, when Alexander-Arnold will arrive on a free transfer this summer. If they do sign, it will be a player they will keep until his arrival, as they do not want to run into long-term problems by signing another starter alongside Dani Carvajal and Alexander-Arnold.
That means Real Madrid are open to a move, with Chelsea's Reece James mentioned by Diario AS. Former academy right-back Alex Jimenenz, currently at AC Milan after a permanent move was completed last summer, is another option but they would have to negotiate. Los Blancos also have a buyback option on Jimenez.
The likes of Pedro Porro, Denzel Dumfries and Jeremy Frimpong are loved, but are all considered too expensive. Rayo Vallecano right-back Andrei Ratiu is another player they have been looking at, but he remains several levels down on their big target board. In terms of La Liga options, Sevilla's Juanlu Sánchez is said to be available for €10-15 million amid interest from RB Leipzig. Real Sociedad's Jon Aramburu is another they like, but he would probably be more expensive, and therefore more unlikely.
Two more experienced and surprising names on the table are Inter Milan defender Benjamin Pavard and free agent Serge Aurier. The 28-year-old is on a high salary and has featured regularly due to a knee injury, but his ability to play as both a right-back and a centre-back is attractive to Real Madrid. The 32-year-old Aurier would also have to answer physical questions after not playing for the past six months after leaving Galatasaray. He would be the most economical option.
The other options available to Ancelotti are Fede Valverde or Castilla right-back Lorenzo Aguado. The Italian manager has been reluctant to use academy players so far, and with Los Blancos' midfield no longer functioning as it is, removing Valverde is hardly an ideal choice.
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