Perez's Bold Election Promise

Florentino Perez has been re-elected as Real Madrid president, and now faces the challenge of fulfilling his bold election promise to make "the biggest transfer in all Real Madrid's history." The 79-year-old president, speaking on Spanish TV show Horizonte, stated he would make a bid of at least €150million (£129.5m; $173m) for a player at a "big Champions League club."

When pressed about the identity of the mystery target, Perez clarified: "It's not (Erling) Haaland. But it's a total galactico." He further specified that the player in mind is a midfielder or striker not currently at a Premier League club, responding to suggestions of Michael Olise, Jeremy Doku, and Harry Kane.

The promise was made during his campaign against rival candidate Enrique Riquelme, who had claimed Madrid would sign Haaland and Rodri. Perez reminded viewers of the many stars Madrid have signed on his watch over the years, including Luis Figo, Zinedine Zidane, David Beckham, Kaka, and Cristiano Ronaldo.

What Should Madrid Actually Do?

While the galactico approach has done Perez's ratings no harm, the question remains: what should Madrid actually do with that money? The club's squad is already overflowing with match-winners including Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, Jude Bellingham, Rodrygo, and Arda Guler.

However, since Toni Kroos retired in July 2024, there has been a void at the heart of Madrid's midfield. The club still possesses athleticism and individual brilliance but lacks the ability to dictate the tempo of a game.

Analysts' Recommendations

The Athletic's analysts have offered varying perspectives on how Madrid should approach the transfer budget:

Fix the Midfield First: Many analysts agree that signing a midfielder like Joao Neves, the 21-year-old Paris Saint-Germain and Portugal midfielder, would make far more sense than another attacking star. "Conceding 20 goals and keeping only four clean sheets in the Champions League last season highlighted Madrid's vulnerability," noted one analyst.

Strengthen the Defense: With Dani Carvajal departing after 23 years, a right-back to compete with Trent Alexander-Arnold is vital. Real Sociedad's Jon Aramburu, a 23-year-old Venezuela international, has been suggested as a candidate. Additionally, Manchester City's Ruben Dias has been mentioned as a potential center-back signing, with returning manager Jose Mourinho familiar with his talents.

The Galactico Approach: Some have humorously suggested going after Barcelona's Lamine Yamal for €150m, calling it a "Figo 2.0" move. Others have suggested intercepting Julian Alvarez before Barcelona can sign him from Atletico Madrid.

Strategic Priorities

The consensus among Madrid experts is that this is not the summer for Perez to go all galactico again. Instead, the smarter option would be spreading the budget across the squad to address multiple needs.

"An inability to control games and a fundamental absence of elite technical quality in midfield have seen Madrid suffer domestically and in Europe," noted one analyst. "Games are fun and unpredictable for neutrals, but that is no consolation to trophy-hungry madridistas."

With Jose Mourinho returning to manage the club, the priorities appear to be addressing the midfield void and strengthening the defensive line. The signings of Ibrahima Konate and Denzel Dumfries are already on the horizon, but the search for an elite midfield organizer continues.