The painful quarter-final exit against Arsenal in the Champions League has served as the wake-up call the Real Madrid board needed to begin a deep rebuild of a project that now seems to have run its course. This summer is expected to bring a major shake-up, with many players likely to leave the Santiago Bernabéu to make room for signings in key positions.

Total overhaul in Real Madrid’s defense

With the signing of Trent Alexander-Arnold on a free transfer virtually sealed, pending official confirmation, 'COPE' has revealed the roadmap that Real Madrid has set for the upcoming transfer window, based on the squad's shortcomings throughout the season. These are strategic decisions to be made by the club regardless of who the head coach at the Santiago Bernabéu may be.

The departure of Nacho last summer, along with serious injuries to Carvajal and Militao, has highlighted the poor defensive planning by Real Madrid. As a result, the club aims to rejuvenate the center-back position, with the top target being Dean Huijsen from Bournemouth. In addition, notable weaknesses have been identified at left-back, and after Alphonso Davies’ contract renewal with Bayern Munich, Real Madrid is likely to activate the buy-back clause they hold on Miguel Gutiérrez (Girona).

Real Madrid is obsessed with finding Kroos’ replacement

Another key part of Real Madrid’s planning revolves around finding a replacement for Toni Kroos, a need the club chose to ignore last summer. Real Madrid has been desperately seeking a playmaker throughout the season, and there are two main candidates on the table to fill that role: Martín Zubimendi, who is also of interest to Arsenal, and Alexis Mac Allister, whose father recently dropped a subtle hint toward Real Madrid… although he later apologized for his comments.

These would be the three main moves Real Madrid is planning—along with the arrival of Trent Alexander-Arnold. However, a departure in the attacking line is also likely, with all eyes beginning to turn toward Rodrygo. In that case, Real Madrid might also opt to bring Nico Paz back from Como and continue exploring the market for additional options.