This season, Real Madrid has witnessed Luka Modric’s last dance at the Santiago Bernabéu. It has been an emotional farewell to one of the club’s legends, which has been difficult but necessary given the change of cycle that the club is going through, with the main objective of rejuvenating the squad. In this regard, four important players will see their contracts expire in the summer of 2026, with the future of some of them unclear. Florentino must decide whether to say goodbye or keep Dani Carvajal, Thibaut Courtois, Antonio Rüdiger, and David Alaba.
Dani Carvajal and his future at Real Madrid
The season has not been easy for Dani Carvajal. The captain suffered a triple tear of the anterior cruciate ligament, lateral collateral ligament and popliteal tendon on October 5. It was a hard blow for the Leganés native, who was coming off a great season in which he played a starring role in the Champions League final and with the Spanish national team. It put a stop to his great run, but his attitude towards the injury has always been the best and from day one he started working flat out to speed up his return with a date in mind: June 18, the day of the Whites’ debut in the Club World Cup. The goal seems close, although we will have to see what condition he is in and how he progresses. They don’t want to take any risks.
The captain’s contract expires in 2026, and in recent hours he made headlines by dropping a bombshell about his future. “Yes, I’ve already said in interviews that the day I’m no longer here at Real Madrid or the day we decide together not to continue, I’d like to try another league outside Europe, and MLS is one of the options,” said the Madrid full-back. The full-back has a new teammate and competition following the signing of Trent Alexander-Arnold by Real Madrid. It is a new situation that the Leganés player will have to deal with and, depending on how the season goes, he will decide his future. Everything points to a renewal for another year, but we will have to wait and see what happens.
Rüdiger increasingly tempted by Saudi Arabia
Rüdiger, who is also currently recovering from injury, has one year left on his contract with Real Madrid and will see it out despite temptations from abroad. In recent hours, there has been talk of interest from Real Madrid’s first opponent in the Club World Cup, Al Hilal, which has not been the first to show interest in the player, who is a well-known Muslim and would not be averse to playing in Arab football. However, the player himself has made it clear that he does not want to leave Real Madrid this summer. As we said, the player’s contract expires in 2026 and his age, as well as the knee problems he has been struggling with all season, could mark the end of his time at Real Madrid to try his luck in a less demanding league.
Courtois finalizes his renewal
Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois is not looking to leave at the end of his contract. On the contrary, Real Madrid is preparing a renewal in which it will even break its rules for players over 30 by offering him a two-year contract until the summer of 2028. During that period, it will be necessary to see if his performance remains the same and then make decisions. Faced with the possible departure of Lunin, the club has already begun to explore the goalkeeper market.
Alaba may not fulfill his contract
The fourth player in contention is center back David Alaba. It seems clear that once his contract expires, he will not continue at Real Madrid, but the option of him leaving earlier is even being considered. The club has considered finalizing his departure this summer, as he has a high salary for a player who barely plays and who will become the fifth center back in Xabi Alonso’s plans with the arrival of Dean Huijsen. His injuries have marked his recent career with the team.