Real Madrid continues its search for a pure number 9 to solve the problems faced by the Whites in matches where rival defenses put up a wall that is sometimes impossible to break down. Despite the good impression Gonzalo is making at Real Madrid, Xabi Alonso is aware that the team needs a specialist at the forefront of the attack, a man who knows how to hold off center backs and is capable of finishing off any ball. There is one name on the table that is being mentioned a lot right now in the Valdebebas offices: Dušan Vlahović.
The lack of a number 9 at Real Madrid
In recent years, Real Madrid has consistently failed to give importance to having a pure number 9 in the squad, but when they have had one, the performance has been very good and has highlighted the need for a player with those characteristics in the squad. The latest case is that of Joselu, who was key last season in helping the Whites win their fifteenth title, with a stellar performance against Bayern Munich in the second leg of the Champions League semi-final, scoring two goals in the last ten minutes to lead the latest great comeback at the Bernabéu. But beyond that performance, the striker scored 17 goals for the team, almost all of them coming off the bench, offering a superlative performance.
This season, his absence has been felt, and there has been no player who could replace him. Real Madrid has been stuck in many games, and when forced to send balls into the box, there was no one there to finish them off. That is why Florentino Pérez does not want to repeat the mistakes that have led to a season without silverware, which can still be salvaged with the Club World Cup.
Vlahović within reach
Dušan Vlahović, the Serbian striker for Juventus, became one of the most promising players in European football when he burst onto the professional scene. Fiorentina took notice and signed him from the Italian club, which led him to Juventus in the 2021–22 season. However, expectations were very high, and the player has not lived up to his reputation as a superstar.
Nevertheless, he could fit the profile of the striker Real Madrid wants as a second option. A striker who already knows what it’s like to play for a big club and who could accept a secondary role agreed upon from the outset, knowing that his role would be to shake up rival defenses.
The player’s agent has made moves to find him a new destination, and Juventus would have no problem letting him go. However, the question mark would be over the player himself, tempted by the opportunity to wear the white shirt but lacking the playing time he could get at any team one or two steps below the big European clubs.
Real Madrid continues to search for players to improve its current squad. Vlahović could be a key piece, but he is not the only option being considered by the Whites, who are initially looking for a more veteran and established player, a signing for two or three seasons who can perform and who will not demand enough attention to cause tension in the dressing room. Meanwhile, Gonzalo, who is not the number 9 the club wants, continues to show that he can be an important player for the first team in the coming years.