Real Madrid have to all intents and purposes have bid farewell to Luka Modric, following a tearful goodbye at the Santiago Bernabeu. Modric has at least three more games in a Real Madrid shirt though, as they prepare for the Club World Cup in the United States, with group games against Al-Hilal, RB Salzburg and Pachuca on the way. There is potential for another four games in the knockout stages too.
That said, Real Madrid are making plans for the post-Luka Modric era, 13 years after his arrival in the Spanish capital. It looks as if Como playmaker Nico Paz will be brought back to the side to give Xabi Alonso more playmaking options in the final third. Another midfielder is also a priority target for Los Blancos, although their thinking is that this will be a player more in the style of Toni Kroos than Modric.
What will happen to the number 10 shirt at Real Madrid?
There is no obvious candidate to take over his shirt signing for the club this summer though, with Trent Alexander-Arnold the biggest name to arrive in the transfer market by the looks of things. Diario AS claim that there is a high chance that it is Kylian Mbappe who takes over the number 10 shirt, as he has done with France. Their information is that Los Blancos will offer it to him.
Mbappe was initially intending to take the number 10 shirt when he arrived at the Santiago Bernabeu, but the decision to extend Modric put that idea on hold. Mbappe was keen to shy away from the image of him as a narcissistic presence in the dressing room, and did not ask for his number.
And Kylian Mbappe’s number 9?
There is no sign of a major signing up front for Real Madrid this summer, hence the most obvious candidate for the number nine shirt is Endrick Felipe. The 18-year-old had a mixed first season at the Santiago Bernabeu, but is the only natural centre-forward in the squad.
