With speculation continuing that Real Madrid are in pole position to secure the services of Kylian Mbappé from Paris Saint-Germain, those who already have one eye on the 2024/25 campaign are beginning to think about how Carlo Ancelotti could incorporate the Frenchman into his offensive set-up.
Talents like Vinícius Júnior, Jude Bellingham, Rodrygo Goes, Brahim Díaz and Joselu are already populating the squad and show no signs of going anywhere. All play a crucial role in the system this year, which has adapted to the departure of talisman Karim Benzema.
Now, Ancelotti will already be looking to next season, with a new contract signed, and planning how his side could look.
The most likely option in terms of providing continuity from this season would be for Mbappé to slot in as a direct replacement for Rodrygo Goes, operating as one of a front two with Vinícius Júnior. That would allow the two headline stars to play next to each other, drifting wide when it suits them.
Behind them, Jude Bellingham could continue to operate in much the same way as he has this season. It’s hard to envisage the system being exactly like it has this season, particularly given Mbappé’s preference to start runs from deeper to burst past defenders with pace, but it would be close.
The challenge that Carlo Ancelotti could face in this scenario is how to avoid overloading the left flank. The coach actually spoke about where Vinícius is most comfortable in his press conference last week, stating, “I think Vini can play inside, not as a centre-forward but with a pair of forwards, but I think we have to take into account that he is very comfortable playing out wide... I want to put a player of his quality where he is most comfortable, which is the left wing.” That would see him and Mbappé both preferring to move to the left.
Logically, one of the two would need to switch and move over to the right. Vinícius has played on the right flank at times, but is clearly more at home on the left. If Ancelotti is to have a challenge making this system work, it’s likely to be a battle of personalities as much as it is a tactical one.
An alternative would be to change shape and revert to a front three, as the club had for a decade dating back to the famous BBC attack of Karim Benzema, Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo. That would allow two of the attackers to move into a wider role, something all three would be comfortable doing.
Mbappé has played centrally at times throughout his career and would be no stranger to taking up the role of the number nine which has not truly been occupied since Karim Benzema left the club last summer. Joselu’s presence has offered a substitute this season, but he has been used sparingly and when needed, rather than as a fixture.
What makes that possibly less likely is that it would mean dropping a midfielder. The squad is rich in talented young midfielders with the likes of Fede Valverde, Eduardo Camavinga and Aurelién Tchouameni, and dropping Rodrygo might be an easier sacrifice to make.
Under the radar, many Madridistas also appear to have forgotten the other superstar forward arriving in Chamartín this summer. Br azilian prodigy Enrick will don the white jersey for the first time, and it remains unclear quite where he will fit into the team. “He’ll be with the first team, there’s no doubt about that,” Ancelotti responded when asked whether the Br azilian would be in his plans for 2024/25.
The approach with Endrick, who turns 18 in July, is likely to be similar to that with Vinícius and Rodrygo when they touched down in Spain. They will be deployed little by little, earning minutes off the bench in their first season as they adapt to LALIGA. That may ease the headache for Ancelotti next year, but will also give him more flexibility.
The Br azilian tends to drift more to the right than the left, unlike Vinícius and Mbappé, which will give a rotation option with Rodrygo down that flank. As he gains experience and game time, Ancelotti may well find that his hand is being forced again, and another change could be needed.