When Xabi Alonso was announced as Real Madrid's new manager this summer, one of the main areas in need of a major fix was the defense.
The backline was leaking in goals for fun in the dying days under Carlo Ancelotti and required a major overhaul under the new regime.
And to the delight of many, that overhaul came this summer. The club brought in three new defenders, those being Alvaro C arreras, Dean Huijsen, and Trent Alexander-Arnold, with all of them expected to be major pieces of the club's future for years and years to come.
And this defensive overhaul may not be done yet. The club is reportedly still looking for another center-back, given the injury to Eder Militao and the expected departures of Antonio Rudiger and David Alaba in the summer.
Names like Ibrahima Konate and Dayot Upamecano have been linked with Real Madrid in recent months, with the club keeping a close eye on the transfer window both in January and this upcoming summer.
However, in recent days, a new name has emerged on Real Madrid's radar, and unlike Konate or Upamecano, this player won't be available on a free transfer. Nevertheless, he may be the best central defender Real could sign, and at a relatively affordable price.
Real Madrid has turned their attention to Tottenham Hotspur defender Micky Van de Ven, who could be available for as little as €50 million in the January transfer window. With Spurs struggling, it could be hard for them to retain some of their star players, which is exactly where Real Madrid come into play.
Van de Ven arrived at Tottenham in the 2023 summer transfer window and quickly established himself as one of, if not the best player, for Spurs and one of the best defenders in the entire Premier League. The Dutchman has easily been Spurs' best player this season and, despite being a center-back, is the club's second leading goal scorer this season.
The 24-year-old perfectly fits what Real Madrid are looking for when recruiting a new central defender. He's tall, extremely fast, aggressive, a great leader, and great both in the air and with the ball at his feet.
As mentioned earlier, while other options may be available for free, Van de Ven would potentially cost around €50 million, which would be a bargain given the quality of the player he is.
If Real Madrid hopes to turn the ship around and sort out a backline that still looks rocky at times, paying €50 million should be a no-brainer for Real Madrid either in January or in the summer transfer window.
Besides, we all know that Real Madrid loves a signing from Tottenham, with Luka Modric and Gareth Bale cementing themselves in the Bernabeu hall of fame.