Real Madrid’s defensive woes appear to have no end in sight. If Dani Carvajal’s fresh ACL knock was not enough, the club are likely to miss out on the services of David Alaba for a longer period.
The Austrian defender has been out of action for eleven months now and there has been no light at the end of the tunnel, as far as his recovery is concerned.
Alaba facing complications with his injury
According to Diario SPORT, Alaba is facing many complications with his injury, which is prolonging his spell on the sidelines.
As per the report, the crux of his problem stems from a reduced cartilage. His recovery, now stretching to eleven months, shows no signs of resolution, and there are fears that the injury could potentially end his career.
In fact, Alaba’s cartilage issues are causing persistent pain to the defender due to bone friction. This is not a good sign at all and could require a while to fix.
Not to mention, the entire ordeal may take a significant mental toll on Alaba, who has been out of action for almost a year now.
Real Madrid consider winter signings
With Alaba’s return uncertain, Real Madrid are now forced to reconsider entering the transfer market in January to secure a reliable central defender for the second half of the season.
Alaba’s absence, after all, has left Real Madrid with just three central defenders: Eder Militao, Antonio Rudiger, and Jesus Vallejo.
However, Ancelotti’s trust in Vallejo is limited, prompting him to utilize midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni in central defence. Despite including youth prospect Jacobo Ramon in squad call-ups, Ancelotti has not yet deemed him ready to step onto the field.
Keeping that in mind, Real Madrid are now thinking about reinforcements in the upcoming January transfer window, with Rafa Marin notably emerging as a potential target.
This contradicts earlier reports across Spain which had claimed that the club are not entirely sure about signing players in January. Therefore, it will be interesting to see how things transpire in the coming months.