@ wolfe i really dont understand your argument that real madrid is somehow an unattractive destination for young talent. that's just not true at all. unless you go like 4-6 years straight winning nothing (a la United), that wont be the case. and that simply wont happen at real. no way.
think about 2009. you get destroyed 2-6 by your arch rivals who win the treble in spectacular fashion. liverpool wrecked that real side like 4-0 or 4-1 at anfield. comparatively it was a worse season than this one. didnt even really have a consistent coach. did that put off any players? NOPE! that summer you buy CR, benzema, alonso, kaka, etc etc etc....
As said before, 2009 window is not in any way comparable to the operations you can perform now in one window to change entire formation at a snap of your fingers. Back then 300 = 8 players including 2-3 of the top players at their position most inserted directly into starting lineup. Now 300 = 2 top players +- one unpolished talent. Different world. Now you pay 50-100M to replace one defender and if your defense needs at least 3 changes, you're boned if you can't fundraise. You absolutely
must be able to do more with less and systematically add to what you're doing each summer.
It isn't unattractive right now, but it is certainly in the danger of becoming so. Manager recently is halting the generational change and nobody who is young and sees this Real, who had under 23s come in heaps in the past 4 years, is playing at most 2 of them regularly together at any given time. Look at the message being sent:
a) Marcelo running down his contract is more important to the club than giving a player like Reguilon space, and that is after coming out of absolutely nowhere in Castilla and having a good season in Seville finished with Europa League trophy
b) Hakimi after 2 years in Dortmund is used to balance books, albeit probably out of necessity because Real cannot convince anyone else to buy anyone over 27 that has stagnated
c) Odriozola, bought in 2018, has started shockingly few games DESPITE the injuries to the starting RB
Even more qualitatively - who is the name young ambitious players say "wow, it'd be cool to play with this guy" about? Benzema? lmao. Hazard? Yet to be seen and definitely not the forefront of prospective players' minds. Modrić and Ramos are legends in their own right, but any dumbass would go "yeah, but they're a bit old arent they". This is especially important if you're trying to fish for neutral players, whatever their age, who dont care where in Spain/Italy they end up on way or the other.
And this now is the situation after 2 years of R16 exits in the CL, 1 or 2 more in a row wouldn't surprise anyone. It adds up faster than people think.
got it on purpose so he wouldn't be sacked
sprinkles some voodoo magic in the CL KOs and all is forgiven.
Never getting sacked now as no replacements available.