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There was a lot of talk about whether Real Madrid would sign a new defender in January following the season-ending injury to David Alaba. With Eder Militao already sidelined, the Merengues were left with just two senior centre-halves in Antonio Rudiger and Nacho.
But, Real Madrid have decided not to make any signings in the current window and will instead look to reinforce their squad in the summer.
Kylian Mbappe and Alphonso Davies appear to be the main targets for Los Blancos heading into the summer.
But apart from that, the Spanish capital club are also looking to bring in a young central defender as well as a young right-back with an eye on the future. With that in mind, MARCA is reporting that Real Madrid are tracking four defenders for the summer of 2024.
Goncalo Inacio (Sporting CP)
The 22-year-old Sporting CP centre-back is a man in demand with a number of top clubs in Europe, including Real Madrid, keeping a close watch on his development in Portugal.
There were talks of a January exit for Inacio, but it appears that he will stay at Sporting for the remainder of the campaign before securing a big move in the summer. It has been reported that Inacio could cost around €60 million.
Antonio Silva (SL Benfica)
From one Portuguese defender to another, Real Madrid also have their sights on SL Benfica centre-back Antonio Silva. Just 20 years old, the centre-back has become a regular for his club and has already made his breakthrough with the Portuguese national team.
Like Inacio, Antonio Silva is also attracting interest from clubs other than Real Madrid and might end up costing around €40 million in the summer.
Leny Yoro (Lille)
The 18-year-old Leny Yoro has become one of the most coveted centre-backs in Europe currently after becoming a mainstay at the heart of the Lille OSC defence. Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, and PSG are interested in signing the French ace.
In fact, recent reports suggest that PSG are pushing to sign Yoro from Lille this month itself, which could mean Real Madrid might end up missing out on his services.
Yan Couto (Girona, on loan from Man City)
While the aforementioned three players are centre-backs, Real Madrid have identified Manchester City loanee Yan Couto as their target for the right-back position, with the young Brazilian shining currently on loan at Girona.
Indeed, Couto has been impressing heavily in La Liga, playing a key part in the Catalan club’s ascent to the top of the table. And Real Madrid are closely watching him, as a possible recruit for the summer.
