After two straight trophyless seasons and a string of locker-room drama last year, Real Madrid closed out what can only be called a disastrous campaign. This summer, they went full Galáctico mode, bringing in six new signings — Yan Diomande, Bernardo Silva, Ibrahima Konaté, Denzel Dumfries, Marc Cucurella, and Carlos Espí — and at one point were reportedly close to landing World Cup Golden Ball winner Rodri. That deal never happened, but the business still looks lavish on paper. Did it actually solve the problem?
Yan Diomande fills the right flank — not Madrid’s real gap
The headline signing, unsurprisingly, is the record-fee Yan Diomande. The young Ivorian talent had a genuinely convincing season in the Bundesliga last year, but was a lack of firepower ever really Real Madrid’s problem these past few seasons? They already have Mbappé, Vinícius, and a Bellingham who loves getting into the box. Yan Diomande does fill the gap on the right flank, sure — but the midfield issue that’s actually been gutting this team for years is still unresolved.
Bernardo Silva’s arrival might ease that somewhat — he brings excellent creativity and technique, and his passing out of tight areas isn’t bad either. But compared to Rodri, he’s still a clear step behind in game control, ground covered, and physical duels. And to make things more awkward, Rodri’s next stop is reportedly bitter rivals Barcelona — which means Madrid’s midfield will be under serious scrutiny whenever these two sides meet next season.
Defensive steel is maxed out, but build-up play actually got worse
Beyond Yan Diomande and Bernardo Silva, Ibrahima Konaté, Denzel Dumfries and Marc Cucurella should give Real Madrid’s back line a serious upgrade — especially Marc Cucurella, who was outstanding at the World Cup: sharp defending, recovery runs, and clean passing out from the back make him a ready-made upgrade on the left. Add in duel-winning defenders like Konaté and Dumfries, and the physicality of this back line is essentially maxed out.
But compared to last season, the actual build-up quality of this defense has gone down. With Arnold gone, Marc Cucurella is now more or less the only defender who can consistently deliver high-quality passing from the back — which only compounds the midfield control problem.
My take: this looks a lot like France at the World Cup
Bottom line: Real Madrid’s defense and attack are close to maxed out on paper, but the midfield remains comparatively weak. In an era where midfield control decides everything, that’s exactly the fatal flaw. Right now, Madrid feels a lot like France at the World Cup — a lavish frontline with nobody reliably feeding it the ball. I do think they’ll look genuinely refreshed next season, but I don’t see them as a serious contender in the major competitions.