Five alternatives for Real Madrid to sign as a replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure has left a gaping hole in the Real Madrid squad. So, how do you replace someone who has averaged approx 50 goals per season since the last nine years?
Fans are now expecting the Real Madrid president Florentino Perez to sign a high profile name capable of filling in Ronaldo-sized boots. With rumours ranging from Neymar to Eden Hazard, Real has the power to attract the best of names in the football world.
But after nine incredible seasons in the Spanish capital, it is hard to say that anybody can replace Ronaldo at least in terms of the dominance that he has had.
Cut back nine seasons ago, when Ronaldo left Manchester United for Real, United slumped to a second place finish after winning three titles in a row with Ronaldo in their side. United could not perfectly replace Ronaldo after his departure. Ronaldo was the most important part of the United attack, and at Real he has been the centrepiece of the team for almost a decade.
This summer he left Real Madrid as their all-time top scorer with 450 goals in 438 games, leading them to four Champions League and two La Liga titles.
Not only does Real’s new manager Julen Lopetegui have the unbelievable task of succeeding Zinedine Zidane into the Real Madrid dugout, he will have to do it without Ronaldo.
The new Real boss will surely be missing an icon after a nine-year dominance in La Liga. So, it is inevitable Florentino Perez will be inclined to act this summer. The association of Cristiano Ronaldo and Real Madrid will be considered as one of the best footballing match-ups in history. He went to the Santiago Bernabeu as a star and left as a legend.
The task of replacing him begins. So, Real's next steps are hugely important if they want to maintain their current stronghold in European football.
It is hardly a secret that Real Madrid’s prime targets are Neymar and Eden Hazard as a Ronaldo replacement, and those two players are more than capable of dominating Europe for the next five years.
But that is not an easy task. Eden Hazard does not seem to be easily attainable from a resolute Chelsea board, while Neymar looks set to stay at PSG after signing for them only a year back.
So, here are the five alternatives to Neymar and Eden Hazard that Real Madrid can target as a replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo:
#5 Mo Salah
Mo Salah looks like the perfect player to replace Ronaldo at Real Madrid, a proven prolific goal scorer. He has thrived in both the Serie A and the Premier League, so there is no reason why he wouldn’t excel in La Liga too.
One major factor that makes this unlikely is that Salah has recently signed a new five-year deal with Liverpool. But that probably won’t be stopping Real to find a perfect Ronaldo replacement.
Not even Mo Salah would have expected to have had a season he did for Liverpool, and his blistering 44 goals in all competition were there for all to see. It is hardly any wonder that he is being touted as the heir to the Ronaldo-Messi duopoly in the Ballon D’or awards.
He is the man who ended Harry Kane’s dominance of the Premier League Golden Boot last season by becoming the first player to score 32 goals in a 38-game season. The player he surpassed to break the record was Cristaino Ronaldo, after all.